Catch Her Snitch
by pottermum
Summary: One shots and Snippets based on artwork and headcanons from blvnk-art on Tumbler, and dialogue from 'it's-hp-bitch's incorrect hp quotes on Tumbler, with a bit of pottermum added to the mix too.
1. Chapter 1 Long Authors note, sorry!

So, what does a fanfic author do when they are out of inspiration? They re-read old fanfiction to get inspired, of course! hgfan111, potterprincess, St Margarets, Velevethope, just some of the great Hinny authors. In my case, I also scrolled through blvnk's amazing artwork, I'm sure you know, by now, that I am a fan of Bianca's work, having already written two fanfics based on her artwork and headcanons. If you haven't yet seen it, please check out her Tumbler blog or Instagram pages – Blvnk-art.

And that's when I came up with the idea of writing one shots and snippets from as much of her art and headcanons as I can. Bianca has given me her permission, and I will credit her as co-author as I am using some of her words from her artwork and her blog. Some I will expand on and add my own touches to. My hope is that, as you read it, you will be able to picture the artwork in your mind. Do you have a favourite artwork? Let me know, I may write it for you.

Another blog on Tumbler that I have also used for dialogue is ' _it's -hp-bitch'_ a blog of incorrect HP quotes. These may be quotes from movies, or tv shows, and attributed to the HP characters, in my case, Harry and Ginny mostly. Again, I am doing so with permission from the owner of the blog (many thanks!) please check it out, it's a lot of fun to read.

I cannot guarantee how often I will post, and I will be leaving this 'story' open so I can add chapters whenever Bianca features her latest artwork. It also won't be in any sort of order, time wise. The opening two chapters are set around Ginny's first Harpy's match, with Harry and Ginny living together at Grimmauld Place, so set approx 2 years since the battle.

Sorry for the long note, but lots to credit and explain. Please PM for any clarification, but now, I will stop babbling and let you read – Catch Her Snitch!


	2. Chapter 2 Harpy

Harry waited patiently outside the Harpies dressing rooms, thankful to be away from the eyes of the waiting press. He'd bombarded his way through them, despite their cameras flashing and Quick-Quills being shoved in his face, begging for a quote. Today was all about Ginny, not him, even though he would have been quite happy to shout from the rooftops just how damned proud of her he was.

They'd known the press would focus on him, and his reactions to his girlfriend's first professional Quidditch match. Ginny had shrugged it off, but it rankled him more. He'd stayed behind in the VIP box with the family – courtesy of the Department of Magical Sports and Games – until most of the crowd had cleared out, then, when the family departed for the Burrow, he'd made a beeline for the players entrance, showing his family identification.

He'd met up with some of the family members of the other players, most he'd met at a Harpies dinner at the official launch of the season many months ago. Some were initially in awe of him, but by now he was just known as _'Ginny's partner'_ which he found refreshing. The family members now mingled quietly, knowing that behind closed doors, Gwenog was probably giving the team one of her infamous rants, in light of their defeat. The mood was one of disappointment, for the Harpies had lead for most of the match. In the end, Ballycastle's Seeker had just caught the Snitch ahead of the Harpies Seeker, resulting in a 40 point defeat.

The door opened and, one by one, the players came out, looking for their loved ones. Most nodded at Harry as they passed him, with one telling him Ginny would be out soon.

She was one of the last ones ou, something that would become her trademark. Her small frame slipped out of the open door and she looked around, her tired eyes lighting up when she saw him. She headed for him, smiling a weary smile. He walked to meet her and she walked straight into his arms, dropping her equipment bag on the ground as she fitted perfectly against him, as always.

"Gin, you were brilliant," he whispered in her ear.

"But we lost," she replied, pulling away to look at him.

He knew how desperately she had wanted to win her very first match. "Their Seeker was just that much quicker than yours. It happens to the best of them."

"I know." She pulled away from him, beginning to bend down to grab her bag, but he was faster. He slung it over his right shoulder and tucked her under his left arm. Her long hair, still damp from her shower, ran down her back. Together they headed for the players exit where there were no waiting press.

"Hey, eleven goals, four assists, that's a pretty amazing start to your career," he reminded her.

"But we lost," she repeated, her arm around his waist.

He placed a kiss on her forehead, feeling her small frame lean against him. She was exhausted; he could tell. "Want to skip the Burrow tonight, just head home?" Home for them both for now was Grimmauld Place.

She thought about it for a second or two, then shook her head. "I think I need some smothering family love tonight."

"Then the Burrow it is," declared Harry, chuckling. He knew the family had left to go home and set up a huge party for Ginny. "Er, any other kind of loving you need tonight, come see me, yeah?"

She stopped and grabbed his coat to make him turn around. He looked down at her in confusion, until she loped an arm around his neck, bringing his face down to hers. She kissed him, and once his mind caught up, he kissed her back. God he loved this woman!

She broke the kiss but her face stayed close to his. "Guarantee it," she whispered huskily.

She went to step back, but he put his hand on the back of her head, and he kissed her back, hard. Watching her fly was a huge turn on for him. She laughed as they snogged. "Do we really have to go to the Burrow?" he asked her in a suggestive tone.

"No, we don't, but you'll have to face my parents and tell them why," she offered.

"The Burrow it is," he declared, and they set off walking again, with Ginny's steps lighter than before.

"But we'll leave early," she promised.

"Damn right," vowed Harry. "Want me to side-Apparate you?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around him. He tried to picture the Burrow in his head as he stepped off, but with her flush against him, all he could think about was the two of them, naked in their huge bed at home.

He opened his eyes in hope, breathing easier when he saw they were in the front yard of the Burrow. "Made it," he sighed in relief.

"You were thinking of something else, weren't you?" teased Ginny.

"About how my girlfriend is a Harpy...yep," grinned Harry. He leaned down to whisper, "and all that entails."

"Yes, Harry," said Ginny dryly, but she _was_ amused, " after Gwenog roasted our ears off about our game, she then handed out the Harpy's sex guide to us firsties." She rolled her eyes. Rumours about the sexual appetites of the Harpies were legendary, as well as the rumours about them all being lesbians and, depending on who was telling the story, they had orgies either before or after their matches.

"About time, " he teased, then winced as her elbow found his middle, " just kidding," he lied.

Ginny snorted knowingly and walked off. He hurried to catch up with her, grabbing her arm. "Hey."

She stopped and raised an eyebrow in query at her. He took her in his arms. "Before we go in there," – he gestured with his head to the crooked house about ten metres away – " I just have to say -"

The door burst open and Ginny turned to see her whole family spilling out to greet her, all still wearing the green and gold Harpies colours. Little Teddy lead the way, running fiercely at them.

Harry pulled her back to face him. "I just have to say how damn proud of you I am, Ginny. I know how hard you've worked for this, and I know you wanted a win for your first match. There will be losses, but there'll be victories, lots of victories, I know it. But I love that you're living your dream...and I love you so much."

Ginny threw her arms around Harry and hugged him tight. "I love you, too," she whispered, planting a hot kiss on his neck. Harry could see little Teddy was close now, and her family and closest friends weren't far behind.

"Incoming," he warned her and reluctantly let her go.

Ginny turned, a smile on her face as Teddy rushed into her open arms. She bent to pick him up. "Ginny, I saw you flying for the Harpies," he told her excitedly.

"Did you cheer for us, Teddy? I was sure I could hear you," she told him, setting him on her hip as she and Harry walked to the house.

"I did," cried Teddy excitedly. " I yelled _'Go Harpies, go Ginny,'_ really loud, just like Uncle Ron told me to," he said.

"That _was_ you, then," said Ginny, hugging him harder. "I think it helped me to score a goal."

"You scored lots of goals, I counted- one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven!" he said proudly. He looked up to see all the Weasley family gathered around. "We're having a party just for you, with cake and everything!"

" So I see," she said, handing Teddy over to Harry. "Thanks for coming today," she told her family.

Her brothers rushed her, rubbing her head – _which she hated because it reminded her she was short, so it was probably Ron_ – hugging her – _Bill probably_. There was pinching – _that would be George_ , and practically smothering her, _Charlie maybe, or Percy_? Her sisters-in-law waited for their turn to congratulate her.

" Our sister!"

"Eleven goals! Did you see that feint she pulled?

"I was there, wasn't I? Course I saw it. Gin, where did you learn that move in the second half? It was brilliant!"

"You played very well, Ginny."

"Well? She was awesome. Just a pity your Seeker didn't catch the Snitch."

"All right, all right, let her breathe," ordered Molly, pushing the brothers away, one by one. "Ginny dear, your first match and you played so well." She hugged her daughter. Behind her, Arthur stood, waiting his turn. His eyes showed love and pride; there was no need for words. A simple hug was all that was needed between father and daughter.

"But we lost," she reminded them all.

They shot her down, telling her the next match would be a victory for sure. Charlie picked her up onto one of his shoulders, and carried her into the house for the feast Molly had prepared, with her other brothers following, singing the Harpies song. Harry put Teddy on his shoulders; he wanted to be a part of it too. Harry could tell this was the right place for Ginny to be right now.

Ginny managed to get a seat close to him for dinner, with Teddy in between them. The talk was all about the match, with Ginny explaining her pre-match preparation, and what went on before the team came out to play. Some of the decisions the coaches and referees had made were discussed and argued about.

After the meal, Ginny was pulled away from one family member or friend for a little one on one time. Harry kept a close eye on her, whilst watching over Teddy. Hermione talked with him for a bit, but his mind was all on Ginny, so he simply noddd and grunted in agreement whenever she paused.

He noted the moment Ginny began to tire. Her adrenaline was waning and even as she turned to look for him, he'd muttered to Hermione that he had to get Ginny home, standing there and leaving her mid sentence. Luckily Teddy had left half an hour ago, so sleepy from his big day at the Quidditch match.

Harry was at her side in an instant. She leaned against him again, needing his strength and warmth. "I'm ready to go," she told him.

Molly must have noticed too, for she appeared in front of them, thrusting them containers of left over food in their arms. "I've already set your Harpies gear to wash, love. Go home, you look done in. Harry, look after her, dear."

Ginny nodded, calling out a vague farewell to everyone. Once again, another chorus of the Harpies song rang our throught the homestead, as well as the usual best wishes as they Flooed home.

They exited at Grimmauld Place, in the lounge. "Tell me what you need, Gin," he told her, setting the containers of food down.

"I think another shower. My legs feel like jelly," she realised.

He closed the Floo and as she walked up the stairs, he checked the house was all locked up. No-one was getting in tonight. He then stored the left overs, grabbed a couple of Butterbeers and took them upstairs, following a trail of clothing that lead to the bathroom. He quickly undressed down to his Snitch boxers.

She leaned wearily against the cool tiled wall. She lifted her head as Harry entered, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. "Talk to me," he offered.

She shrugged. "It was just...so much more. The training, the pressure, the match. Harder, tougher, than just about anything I've ever done before." She squeezed the excess water out of her hair, thinking, not for the first time, about cutting it all off. It had gotten in the way a couple of times during the match.

He waited, leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed. She looked over at him and smiled. "But it was bloody amazing, being out there," she admitted.

He exhaled in relief. " _You_ were bloody amazing out there," he corrected. "The way you flew, it's where you are meant to be."

She turned the water off and stepped out, into a warm waiting towel he held open for her. "Not tonight," she disagreed, letting him wrap her up and lead her into their bedroom. She knew he liked looking after her like this.

"No, not tonight. Tonight you're mine," he said, in that deep throaty voice that turned her on. It seemed like the shower had done her a world of good.

"Rule one in the Harpy's sex guide. What a Harpy wants, a Harpy gets," she said, pushing Harry down onto the bed. She dropped the towel and straddled him.

"And what does _my_ Harpy want?" teased Harry, his hands running up her sides to cup her breasts.

Her hands covered his and they fondled her breasts together as she squirmed around on his cock. She grinned saucily. "I want hot, hard Harry."

He sat up and tongued her nipples. "Whatever my Harpy wants," he growled, and suddenly moved so she was under him, on her stomach.

"I think I'm going to love being a Harpy," she commented, as he moved her legs apart to get into place behind her, having slipped off his boxers. He took his hardened cock in hand and into the cleft of her arse. She wiggled it and he lightly slapped it.

"Imagine what we'll be like when you win," he grunted, sliding into her. She half rose to get on her knees, his large hands on her hips as they settled into a hard and fast rythymn.

"If that's not incentive, I don't know what is," she quipped.

He gave her long hair a tug, trying not to chuckle. He was sure laughing during sex wasn't proper ettiquette but he and Ginny had always set their own rules when it came to their private lives. The smack and the tug of hair spurred her on, as she became more vocal, pushing her arse harder against him, letting him go deeper and deeper until finally she cried out and clenched her inner walls, sending him right over the edge after her.

"Merlin, I love that," she breathed, flopping face first on the bed. He withdrew and flopped right next to her, their faces turned to the other.

His eyes were closed but hers searched his face. As if sensing her look, he opened one eye. "What?"

"Thank you for being there today. I heard the press gave you a hard time," she said quietly.

He loped an arm around her, dragging her closer. "Nothing new, is it?" he asked rhetorically.

"I know, but we've made a conscious effort to stay out of the limelight, to not put ourselves into a position that the press have access to us. I know you have to give statements and such, it's part of being an Auror, and I guess I'll have to start facing them more, now that the season has started," she realised.

"Just tell the press you'll only answer questions that are Quidditch related," he suggested. "I'm not going to let them keep me away from your matches. I love to watch you play."

"I like knowing that, somewhere in the crowd, you're there, cheering me on," she admitted.

"Always will," he grunted. He settled his chin on her bare shoulder. "I'll make it to as many games as I can," he vowed.

"I know you will," she said softly. She yawned, and he followed. Her adrenaline was all used up now, and she curled against him. "Thank Merlin I'm off tomorrow."

He groaned. "I'm not. What will you do?"

"Dunno. Swing by the Leaky, see Hannah? Write to Luna? Go to Shell Cottage and see Victoire? My choices are endless," she quipped, yawning. She frowned. "Maybe I'll do something stupid." Her eyes closed.

He leaned over to kiss the end of her nose. "I'm something stupid. Do me!"

She giggled. He kissed her lips this time. "See how you feel in the morning, yeah?"

She cuddled closer. "Yeah. Might even stay in bed the whole day." They both knew that was highly doubtful. The only way Ginny would stay in bed was if she were sick or injured, or if Harry was with her. She opened one eye. "You sure you have to work tomorrow?" she teased.

He rolled closer, kissing her lightly. "Minx, don't give me ideas."

She smiled and closed her eyes. "What a Harpy wants, Harry," she reminded him.

"Believe me, it's what Harry wants too," he told her, "but I do have to work tomorrow. I'm in court, testifying." He pulled a face she didn't see.

Her eyes remained shut but she chuckled. "Poor Harry. You just pulled a face, didn't you?"

"How did you...know what, never mind. After years of being in school with Hermione and a year living with you, I've learnt not to question how females know these things."

She kicked out at him lightly, connecting with his shin. "Damn, you're violent even when you're half asleep," he winced.

"Yeah, but I'm short so it's adorable," she quipped.

He chuckled and brushed a kiss to her forehead. "Night, Harpy."

She smiled drowsily. "Night, hot, hard, Harry."

There was silence, then Harry muttered, "Damn, did you have to say that? Well, now I'm good to go again, how 'bout you?"

Ginny's reply was a snore.


	3. Chapter 3 Hair

What exactly did people do on their days off? She had written Luna and fire-called Fleur, who suggested she come over later this afternoon to play with Victoire. Andromeda had taken Teddy to the dentist for a check up, so her Floo was closed. The house was clean, the laundry done, thanks to Kreacher, and try as she might, she just couldn't take an interest in cooking. She swore both Harry and Kreacher looked relieved when she finally gave up, but maybe she just misinterpreted the signs.

She decided to go to Diagon Alley and see Hannah, then maybe stop in at WWW. She supposed she could pick up some owl treats for Rubeus, Harry's eighteenth birthday gift from Hagrid...and extra Floo powder wouldn't hurt, right? With that thought in mind, she Flooed to Diagon Alley.

She stepped out into the Leaky Cauldron, immediately spotting Hannah behind the bar. It was early, only just after ten o'clock, so there was hardly anyone around. She headed straught to the bar. "Hi, Hannah, how are you?" she asked.

Hannah looked up from the daily menus and smiled when she saw her friend. "Hi, Ginny, congratulations on making your Harpy debut yesterday. We had the match on the wireless here; we were so sure the Harpies were going to win...but you played great," she hurriedly added.

"Thanks, Hannah," said Ginny.

"The papers are talking about you today, too. You'll soon be as famous as Harry," teased Hannah.

"Papers? Talking about me...what about the team?" asked Ginny, hoping she wasn't being singled out because of her relationship with Harry.

Hannah looked surprised. "Oh, well, yes they mentioned Harry was there watching you, but I mean the match review. You know, they discussed all the players, and they said _'Ginny Weasley had a promising start to what looks like will be a long, prosperous career,_ " she quoted proudly.

"Oh," said a relieved Ginny. "Er, that's nice, what they said. I just wish we would have won."

"Next time," soothed Hannah.

"Say, I was wondering if you've seen Neville lately?" asked Ginny. He hadn't been to the match yesterday, despite requesting a ticket.

A strange look came over Hannah's face. "I'm not seeing Neville," she denied, picking up a cloth and running it over the already clean bar.

Ginny was confused. "What?"

Hannah flushed. "What?" She turned her head in the direction of the kitchen and yelled, "Coming!" to nobody. "Sorry, Ginny, have to go. Say hi to Harry for me." And she quickly disappeared to the kitchen.

A grin spread on Ginny's face. "Well, well, Hannah finally got her man. Good for her." She raised her voice. "Tell Nev I said hello."

Hannah stuck her head out the kitchen, blushing furiously. "Not one word, Ginny."

"Not even, yay?"

Hannah tried not to smile, and shook her head.

"I have to tell Harry," reasoned Ginny. "We had high hopes for you sweet kids!"

Hannah rolled her eyes but looked pleased. "Fine, but just Harry."

"You know Harry tells Hermione and Ron everything," reminded Ginny, "and there's Luna. Luna needs to know."

"Why don't I just take out an advertisement in the Daily Prophet instead?" sighed Hannah, coming back out of the kitchen. "Ron will tell George, and then half of Diagon Alley will know."

"He is a terrible gossip these days," agreed Ginny. "Don't worry, I'll have a word with him. I can handle my brothers." She had lots of memories of all her brothers doing strange and interesting things over the years. A little reminder now and then never hurt.

"Blackmail, Ginny?" guessed Hannah, knowingly.

"That's an ugly word, Hannah _Longbottom,_ " gasped Ginny, pretending to be shocked.

"Don't call me that," protested Hannah, but with a hopeful look in her eye.

"Yet," grinned Ginny, walking away. "Bye."

She walked out into the alley grinning; already her day was looking up. She went into Eeylops and grabbed the owl pellets, then sauntered down the Alley. She was as free as a bird and everything was great.

She caught Harry's grumpy face staring at her; it was the front page of the Daily Prophet. She dug her hand in her bag for a handful of coins, handing them over in exchange for a copy of the paper. _Çhosen One Chooses Harpies_. Ginny rolled her eyes at the headline, quickly glanced over the article, which was all about Harry being seen at the match supporting his girlfriend. He declined all chances to issue a quote and headed straight for the Harpies players area, obviously getting preferential treatment. For a full match report, see page 4, sports section, yada yada yada.

Ginny shoved the paper in her bag; her good mood now soured. She adjusted the strap on her bag, wincing as her hair got caught up in it. "Shit!" she exclaimed, untangling her hair.

A sign caught her eye from across the Alley- _'Shear Magic!' Hair Salon._ Perfect!

She stormed across the Alley determinedly, and opened the door.

"Welcome to Shear Magic, how may we- bloody hell, you're Ginny Weasley from the Holyhead Harpies," cried a woman, looking up from an appointment book, her eyes widening.

"Er, yes. I need a haircut. Today...now. Please," stammered Ginny. The woman checked the appointment book, causing Ginny to admit, "I don't have an appointment."

"It's fine, it's been a quiet morning, Monday usually is. Come through, here. Please take a seat – ZEE, ZARA, Get out here, NOW!" she screeched. She smiled at Ginny. "I'm Chloe," she said, holding out her hand.

Ginny took it and shook it. "Not Zoe?" she quipped.

Chloe gaped. "You know Zoe? That cow, she never said a thing, and she knows I'm a big Harpies fan.! It's her day off today," she explained.

"No, I don't know her, I just...well, you said Zee and Zara then said...you know what, never mind," dismissed Ginny.

"Chlo, what's with the shrieking, some of us are still hung over from the weekend?" groaned a man, his hand covering his face. He wore a tight purple tee shirt and red pants; his hair was dyed white.

"It's Ginny Weasley, from the Harpies!" announced Chloe, pointing at Ginny. "Here, in our salon. She needs a haircut."

"Ginny Weasley?" frowned the man, removing his hand from rubbing his forehead.

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Zacharias Smith?"

His eyes bulged open, then he looked at Chloe. "Sweety, go get Zara, and make a cup of coffee. White with one?" He looked at Ginny.

"Oh, I don't want a coffee," began Ginny, when he interrupted, shooing Chloe away.

He turned back to Ginny. "It's not for you, it's for me, I have the hangover from hell. So, Ginny Weasley made it to the Harpies. I knew you would. Oh, and FYI, I go by Zach here, or Zee."

"Fine...Zee. Yes, I made my professional debut yesterday. Er, its been awhile since I saw you. How have you been?" asked Ginny.

Zach studied her intently. "I know what you must think of me. Abandoning the DA when it really counted. You must think of me as a coward, and you'd be right."

Ginny frowned. "We all had a choice to make. It's not for me or anyone else to tell you whether you made the wrong decision...but it obviously bothers you."

"I _was_ a coward...my whole life at school I was a coward. It's only now I can be who I truly am, really live my life on _my_ terms," he said defensively.

Ginny shrugged. "Well, congratulations."

He hesitated. " Don't you want to know the reason?"

"If you want to tell me," she said, her legs jiggling. All she _wanted_ was a damn haircut before she changed her mind.

"I'm gay," he blurted out, "and a hair dresser, or, as I like to call myself, a stylist of the coiff." He waited for her reaction.

"Okay," reasoned Ginny. She put her hands under her hair and lifted it, letting it slide through her fingers and fall back past her shoulders. "So I was thinking - "

"You did hear me, didn't you? I'm gay. G-A-Y.," he enunciated.

"Yes, yes, but can you cut hair? Are you good...and quick, before I change my mind," said Ginny.

"You never cut hair _'quick',_ a good haircut takes time," corrected Zach. He studied her, lifting her hair and letting it fall back down again. "ZARA? Where the fuck is that girl? Pardon my French," he apologised.

Ginny giggled, relieved they were finally getting somewhere. A woman appeared from behind a door, her head shaved to a light pink fuzz all over her head. She came forward, handing Zach a cup of coffee and a potion. "Potion first," she ordered.

"Bless you," gasped Zach, taking them both from her. "Zara, Ginny, Ginny, Zara," he introduced flourishing his hands at each of them. "She needs a haircut." he downed the potion and sighed in relief.

Zara stepped up behind Ginny. She ran her fingers through her hair time and time again.

"I play Quidditch...professionally. I need a shorter hairstyle, and I'm not one for fussing and styling," explained Ginny, hurriedly. "Something quick and easy to manage."

"Ssshhh," cautioned Zara, closing her eyes as she continued to fondle Ginny's hair.

Ginny waited, then glanced at Zach, who was watching and sipping his coffee. "What is she doing?" she whispered, even though _she_ was right there.

"She's deciding how I should cut your hair. It's a gift she has. She's never wrong. Sit back and relax," suggested Zach, sitting down and sipping his coffee.

"I was just thinking of the same cut but shorter," said Ginny. She gestured with her hands to her shoulders. "Like, up to here?"

Zach shook his head. "Sweety, that's not what you really want. If it was, you would have just cut it yourself. You need something bolder, something that shouts, _look out world, here I come!_ You're tough, you're a badass. You're a Harpy, for Merlin's sake," he exclaimed.

Zara's eyes shot open. "I have it." She walked away to grab a magazine and began flipping through it. She exclaimed when she found it, gesturing to Zach to come take a look.

"Aha, aha, yeah, oh yeah, aha," He nodded, as the two talked between them, ocassionally looking back at Ginny.

Together they walked back to her. "It's decided. I'm ready to let the magic begin," announced Zach grandly, flexing his fingers. Chloe rushed to get his tray of combs, brushes and scissors ready for him.

"Do I get to see?" asked Ginny, gesturing to the magazine.

With a flourish, Zach presented the picture to her and waited for her reaction. "It's shorter than what I planned," she admitted. "I don't know, do you think I can pull it off?" she asked doubtfully.

Zach swung her chair around so she was looking at her reflection in the mirror. He leaned down so his face was side by side hers. "I bet you've grown your hair long since you were little and all the way through Hogwarts." She nodded. " But you're not that girl any more, Ginny. You're a woman, a Harpy. You're beginning a new phase of your life. This " – he picked up the ends of her hair – " has to go. Let the world see the woman, Ginny Weasley. The Harpy Ginny Weasley. The real Ginny Weasley."

Ginny nodded. It was just what she needed to hear, and the decision was made. "Do it."

With a flick of his wand, he covered the mirrors. He used his wand to cast a Severing charm on a huge chunk of her hair so it sat on her shoulders. He then tucked his wand away and reached for a comb and scissors. "Now the magic begins," he said dramatically.

Ginny closed her eyes as he began cutting.

/*/*/*/*

She was surprised at how much lighter her head felt. She turned this way and that, wondered what Harry would say, what her mother would say.

"Well?" asked Zach, somewhat nervously.

"I fucking love it," she announced.

Chloe clapped, Zara nodded knowingly, and Zach laughed. "There she is, there's the Harpy," he cheered.

She stood and waited while he did a quick cleaning spell to remove any loose hair. She couldn't resist another look at herself, even running her hand up to feel the back of her head.

"Now, you might want to add some Sleakezy hair product to keep it in place," suggested Zach, as they walked to the exit. "Do you know it?"

Ginny grinned, remembering Harry tell her it was one of his ancestors inventions that had added to the Potter's bulging vaults. "I'm familiar with it." She dug in her bag for her purse, pulling out her copy of the paper. Photo Harry's face turned from grumpy to jaw dropping surprise when he saw her, and she wondered if real Harry's reactions would be much the same. "How much do I owe you?" she asked.

Zach shook his head. "Do us a favour. When they ask you who cut your hair -"

"And they will," interupted Chloe.

"Tell them it was the team at Shear Magic," requested Zach. "And we'd be happy to style your hair for any occasions, Ministry balls, Harpy orgies, anything," he said.

Chloe asked her shyly. " May I have an autograph?"

"Of course," agreed Ginny, although it still felt strange, signing her name for someone's enjoyment.

"Are you really dating Harry Potter?" she asked.

Ginny nodded, warily. "Well, he's a lucky guy," smiled Chloe, looking at the autograph, "and this will be worth something one day."

Ginny shrugged. " Well, I guesss it's time to go. Show the world the new me!"

"Good luck with the Harpies, Ginny. Oh, I can call you Ginny, can't I?" gasped Chloe.

"I think you just did," chuckled Ginny. "Thanks, guys, really. I love it, I really do."

Zach marched past her and opened the door. "Good, now get out there and own it."

With a deep breath, Ginny smiled at them all, and left.

Zach shut the door and looked at Zara and Chloe. "That ten galleon hair cut is going to make this salon a shit load of money, wait and see. A galleon says Ginny Weasley will be on the front page of the Prophet tomorrow, and we are going to be run off our feet."

/*/*/*/*

Two Weeks Later

Harry left the shower and dried himself, trying to be as quiet as possible, so as not to wake Ginny. However, when he returned to their room, he was surprised to find her side of the bed empty. He hurriedly dressed for work and headed downstairs; he planned to get in an hour earlier than scheduled to catch up on some paperwork.

As he hurried downstairs, still doing up his shirt, he saw the light on in the kitchen. "Gin? Did you get up early just to – Fuck!"

Ginny was standing in the kitchen naked, leaning against the table. "Morning, Harry," she said sultrily. "Going in early?" She bit her bottom lip and nibbled on a finger, eyeing him through the hair that fell over one eye.

All thoughts of work were abandoned as he quickly took in her strong, bare, toned body adorned by freckles. He reached for her and Apparated them back upstairs. " You are so fucking sexy. Did I mention I fucking love your new hair?" he growled, attacking her neck with his tongue and teeth. No more getting a mouthful of her long hair, but it was still the flowery scent he loved so much.

She arched under him. "Once or twice."

He was only an hour late to work that day. Sure, his boss yelled at him, but he kept picturing Ginny's face as she orgasmed earlier that morning. He did that to her, for her, and she did the same for him.

Totally worth it.


	4. Chapter 4 Scrabble

A/N This was not from a blvnk-art, but all taken from _'Incorrect HP quotes'._

Harry Flooed into the lounge of the cottage Hermione and Ron lived in since their marriage six months ago. Hermione came out of the kitchen upon hearing someone arrive.

"Harry, hi. Wait, where's Ron. I thought he Flooed to yours?"

Harry waved her concerns away as he went to hug her in greeting. "Hi, Hermione. Me, I'm fine, thanks so much for asking. And don't worry about Ron."

Hermione pulled out of the hug to look at her friend. "I'm sorry, have you met me? Of course I worry about Ron. We had a bit of a fight this morning."

"Well, that would explain why Ron was acting all -" began Harry.

"Obstreperous? Recalcitrant? Truculent?" interrupted Hermione, knowingly.

He shrugged. "I was just going to say cray-cray, but your words work fine. He ended up going to the shop."

" Oh. Well, where's Ginny?" asked Hermione. The two couples had planned an early dinner and games night together.

"Er, we had a bit of a fight too. Well, not so much of a fight. She's pissed off at me, but I swear it's not my fault," said Harry.

"What does she do when she's pissed off with you?" asked Hermione, curiously. Harry and Ginny's fights were legendary amongst the family, both of them being fiery and passionate people who hated being wrong. Their make-ups were just as legendary.

"I swear it wasn't my fault. I offered her the chance to make it up to me, I asked her to bring me a glass of water." He sighed. "She brought me a glass full of ice and told me to wait."

Hermione giggled as she began to get out the Scrabble board. "But where is she? She's still coming, isn't she?"

He nodded. "She followed Ron to the shop. I think she wanted to find out what had Ron so worked up."

"It's nothing, really. By the time he comes home, it will all have blown over," dismissed Hermione, as they sat down and picked up tiles to place on their boards. "I'll start."

They'd been playing for half an hour when the Floo lit up and Ron and Ginny came out. "- which country has the most birds?" Ginny was asking Ron.

"Er, Portu-geese?" guessed Ron, trying to keep a straight face.

"That's a language, Ron," corrected Hermione, assuming Ron had mispronounced the word. She lay out tiles on the board and added the total to her score. Harry looked grumpy at her triumphant look.

"Portu-gull," quipped Ginny.

"Turkey! I forgot about Turkey!" cried Ron. He and Ginny high fived before he walked over to where Harry and Hermione were, and kissed the top of her head. "Having fun?"

Harry groaned. "It's a nightmare."

"Scrabble? Scrabble's great," said Ron, surprised.

"Not when you're playing Hermione. She puts words like _'ephemeral',_ " said Harry.

"So?" said Ginny, sliding onto his lap.

"I put _'dog',_ " lamented Harry.

Ron and Ginny snickered, which didn't improve his mood.

"Are we even sure that's actually a word? We just assume Hermione is right because, well, she's always right," grinned Ginny.

Hermione shot her a look and pulled out her dictionary, which always accompanied her when they played Scrabble.

Ginny rearranged Harry's letters. He put his arms around her, past annoyances mostly forgotten, until she asked, "Harry, would you please get me a glass of wine?"

"It's my turn in a minute," he said, frowning at the board.

"Please? For me?" she asked.

Harry wasn't about to let her off the hook that easy. "Don't do that."

"What?" asked Ginny.

"You think every time you say _Please? For me?_ -and bat those beautiful, chocolate brown eyes at me, I'll do whatever you want. Well, not this time," he declared.

She put her arms around his neck, leaned closer and batted her eyes. " Please? For me?"

He caved, unable to resist. "Okay."

Ron sighed and shook his head.


	5. Chapter 5 Fanboys

If a fan was to get to a Quidditch match early enough, they might be lucky to see the players out on the pitch, merely flying around and throwing Quaffles to each other. They were testing the wind, finding the air pockets, seeing which way the sun was glaring, getting the feel of the pitch. Nothing too strenuous, and if the dedicated fan was lucky enough, the players might fly down low enough that they could hear them calling out for an autograph and have a chat.

Ginny Weasley, soon to be Potter, was always one to stop for the fans, especially the children. Little girls wanted to be just like her – _she actually made red hair cool!_ – and little boys loved the way she played.

And not just the little boys.

Sam and Anthony were two such boys; teenagers. They'd come early to the match today, hoping to get a Ginny Weasley autograph. Instead, they arrived to find the Puddlemere team were warming up on the ground, about to take to the skies, and most of the Harpies had already landed and some had even gone into the dressing room to begin their pre-match routines.

"Can you see her?" asked Sam, cursing that they only had one pair of Omniculars.

Anthony shook his head, looking at the grounded players. "Nah, she must have gone in already. Damnit!"

"There, I see her!" exclaimed Sam, looking up and pointing.

"Where?" asked Anthony, still looking through the lenses.

"Up in the air; she's close. Look, she's talking to Wood. He's probably telling her to get off the pitch," said Sam. He frowned as he saw Ginny and Oliver Wood have a laugh together, then she pointed somewhere near them. Or was she pointing at them? As Sam watched, Oliver Wood waved. Unsure, Sam waved back.

"What are you doing?" hissed Anthony, nudging him.

"I-I think she knows us," stammered Sam. "She was talking with Wood, then they looked over here and he waved. So I waved back."

"Holy crap!" gasped Anthony, straightening his hair. "Oh, he's flying away. She's coming this way. No, she's stopped. She's...shit, did you just see what I saw?"

Sam nodded, his eyes frozen on Ginny Weasley, who had just lifted her shirt to wipe the sweat off her face, revealing her tiny waist, taut abdomen and the underside of her bra.

Their mouths dropped open as hormones flooded their body. " She is so hot!" they exclaimed.

As they watched on, someone moved into their line of vision. They groaned, knowing their time was limited to ogle their favourite player. "Aw, come on, man," appealed Sam.

The man ignored them, his arms crossed.

"Get out of the way, asshole! It's Ginny Weasley. She's bloody hot and we can't see the details."

Harry Potter slowly turned his head to glare at the two young fans of his fiancee. "That is just too bad," he drawled.

Their jaws dropped. "Are you..."

Harry's glare deepened, stopping them from asking anything else.

They gulped. "Er, we were just leaving anyway," said Sam, hurriedly.

Harry nodded, turning his attention back to the pitch.

"Go, Harpies," cheered Anthony, wincing as Harry turned back to glare at him, as if to say _'are you still here?'_

Sam pulled Anthony away. "Come on, dude."

"Damn, we should have asked _him_ for an autograph," realised Anthony, as they walked away."We could have asked him stuff about Ginny."

"Do you really think he'd tell us anything, after we called him an asshole? Merlin, we called _Harry Potter_ an asshole," groaned Sam.

"And we said his fiancee is hot. It's not like he doesn't know how hot she is," said Anthony. "Lucky bastard!"

"Yeah," agreed Sam. "Imagine going to bed at night, then waking up next to Ginny Weasley," he sighed.

"Who'd be waking up? If I had Ginny Weasley in my bed, I wouldn't be getting any sleep, if you know what I mean," bragged Anthony.

"Excuse me? That's our sister you're talking about."

Sam and Anthony looked up to see three red haired men had stopped to glare at them. If memory served from the many articles they had read on Ginny Weasley, these were her brothers, Charlie, Bill and Ron Weasley. One was a dragon keeper, one was a curse breaker – _rumour was the scar on his face was from the beast Greyback_ – and the other was Harry Potter's best friend. _Shit!_

Sam decided to take a chance. He thrust a copy of Quidditch Monthly towards Ron, with his sister on the cover. "May I have your autograph please, Mr Weasley, sir?"

Three men said nothing, just glared harder at him. He slowly withdrew the magazine. "Or not. Enjoy the match."

"Go, Harpies," said Anthony, fist pumping.

Charlie took a step towards him. The boys yelped and ran away, blending in with the crowds.

Ron bent over. "They dropped their magazine. Cool, I haven't brought this issue yet. Hey, keep a look out for Harry, he was getting here early."

"There he is, hey Harry," greeted Bill.

"What are you doing over here, we thought you'd be in the stands?" asked Charlie, as they joined Harry and they all made their way to their seats.

"Ginny was out earlier and she was talking with Oliver," explained Harry. He nodded at the magazine. "May I have a look, I don't have this issue yet."

"Keep it," chuckled Ron. " A couple of punk kids just dropped it after Charlie scared the piss out of them."

Charlie shrugged. "They were talking shit about Ginny."

Harry nodded. "I just had a couple here, too."

Ron grimaced. "If only they knew what she was really like," he said in a teasing tone. "Annoying, bratty little sister."

"Mmm," nodded Harry, who was really thinking how hot Ginny had looked on the pitch earlier, but only he got to see how hot she really was, and how hot he could make her.

The fan boys could fuck right off. They'd get their autographs, their photos with her, but he'd get the rest.

And soon enough, the name _Potter_ would be on her jersey.

He couldn't wait.


	6. Chapter 6 James Sirius

Ginny had prided herself on remaining active throughout her pregnancy. She and Harry talked about it and agreed, she would continue to play Quidditch after the birth of their first child. Gwenog had made it clear there was no easy passes, no matter who she was. She would need to prove she was physically ready to return to the tough world of professional Quidditch, no matter who she was or how successful she had been in the past.

With that in mind, Ginny had conferred with the Harpy's physical trainer and together they worked out a program for her to follow throughout her pregnancy. She always felt better when she worked out, and was probably in the best shape of her career when she fell pregnant towards the end of the season. She then had the summer off before the Harpy's made the announcement she would sit out the next Quidditch season. The next day Harry and Ginny announced she was pregnant; by this time she was in her fourth month.

She'd had an easy pregnancy, jogging lightly most days or going to the gym. At first she planned to use the Auror gym at the Ministry, thinking she could taje advantage of the proximity and see Harry, Hermione or Percy for lunch some days, but the unprecedented interest in the pregnant Mrs Potter working out soon changed her mind. She ended up going to a Muggle women's gym close to Grimmauld Place.

She didn't like the end of the pregnancy, where her body felt overtaken by zombies, where she had to pee all the time and couldn't see her toes. Her body felt ungainly and she felt she could topple over any time. Her magic was off, and she and Harry couldn't fuck hard like they used to.

"I just can't, baby," he apologised. "I'm worried I'll hurt you or the baby. Just let me love you," he implored.

"Fine," she huffed, and he made such sweet love to her that she was almost in tears. He'd looked after her so well during the pregnancy and it only made her love him more.

The birth had gone quite smoothly, for a first birth. Their son, James Sirius had arrived early in the morning. Ginny didn't think she had ever seen her husband so shaken as he held his son in his arms. "My son," he muttered, over and over, as if he still couldn't quite believe it.

All thoughts of returning to Quidditch were gone as she settled down into motherhood. James was an easy baby, a good sleeper and feeder. He adored everyone, and his favourite toy was a stuffed Snowy owl from Hagrid, and an enchanted Snitch charmed to fly around him. As he grew, he liked to reach out and grab it. Harry grinned knowingly the first time he did it successfully. _'Future Seeker'_ , his proud grin said.

A reminder letter from Gwenog after three months was all Ginny needed to get back to her fitness regime. Harry would help her by holding her toes as she did her sit ups, stealing kisses every other time she sat up. She placed Jamie in her jogging stroller and set out for a run, building up her strength. Every week she'd run a bit further. Jamie loved their runs, waving as they passed people. More than once she had to stop, as someone wanted a closer look at her adorable boy. If they happened to have a dog, he'd gurgle his excitement, trying to reach out and touch it.

Toddling James kept them on their toes, as he seemed to be in to everything. Once he found his feet he seemed to enjoy getting into every room and hiding from them. However, his giggles usually lead them straight to him, and his arms would reach out to be picked up.

One morning, Harry and Ginny were woken by strange noises for the third morning in a row. Sleepily they made their way downstairs, only to find the noise coming from the kitchen.

"Bah."

Harry flicked the light on. They stared in surprise. "So he's the one who's been making all the noises."

Ginny looked taken aback. "But the door, the stairs? How did he...?"

Harry shook his head, his arms crossed. "So many questions."

Ginny nodded. "Only one answer."

"Bah." Their ten month old son sat in the kitchen sink, his sweet face all alight up to see his parents. "Bah."

"Our son is going to Hogwarts in just over ten years," realised Ginny.

His bursts of accidental magic increased, but Ginny found ways of keeping him busy. To her amusement, he liked to copy her as she stretched and exercised, even when she did her push ups in the lounge.

"That's right, James. Potter's are not lazy," chuckled Ginny.

A snore from the sofa made her look up at her husband. He'd come home from work half an hour ago. James giggled. "Da?"

"Your daddy doesn't count. He saves the world," Ginny told James.

"Da."


	7. Chapter 7 Tattoo

With a sense of satisfaction, Ginny joined her Harpies team-mates in the air as they came together, then flew around the pitch, waving to their fans. It was the end of their season; the team not making the finals.

It had been an up and down season for the Holyhead Harpies, but they had done better than the so-called experts had predicted. The team had been shuffled to try and get the best possible line-up, and towards the end of the season, it had all come together, alas, too late. But hopes were high for next season, with a good pre-season to come.

For Ginny personally, she had taken her opportunity to step up from the reserves to starting Chaser due to an injury to a team-mate. She had played well her first match, despite the team losing. They had won their next match, but then a string of more injuries had caused a major re-shuffle of the team on more than one occasion. Ginny had never looked back, and only improved with more game time under her belt.

But their season was now over and it was time to celebrate. Even as they flew and waved to the fans, Emily, Ginny's fellow Chaser, was reminding her team-mates that it was now party time, Harpy's style!

0O0

Hours later, five half drunk Harpy's left their celebrations and wandered around London, with Suzanna leading the way. "This way, come on," she urged, as they headed for Knockturn Alley.

"Are you – _hic_ , sure about this Suzie?" asked Tonya, one of their Beaters, stumbling over her own feet. Ginny and the other Beater, Rebecca were practically holding her up.

"Yes, it's right this way. I booked us in last week," insisted Suzanna, checking the names on the shops.

"Thank Merlin Harry is working overnight," giggled Ginny.

"Imagine if he got the call to come and arrest us," chuckled Evie, their Seeker. "What are you going to get, Ginny?"

"I'm not sure, yet," said Ginny. She had been thinking about it all week, when Suzie had first mentioned the idea.

"I'm getting the Harpies talon across my shoulder," said a decisive Rebecca.

"Ooh, me – _hic_ , too," agreed Tonya.

"Wait," cried Ginny. She waved her wand over Tonya. " Sobriety spell, they won't ink you if you're drunk," she explained.

"We're here," announced Suzanna, excitedly. She pushed open the door to the tattoo parlour, _'Ink Magic!'_ and went in, the others following her.

After some discussion, it was decided that Tonya and Rebecca would go first, as their tattoos would take the longest. Suzanna was getting the double H for the Holyhead Harpies and Evie was getting a Snitch.

Ginny was still unsure; she liked the idea of getting a Quidditch themed tattoo, but she had often thought of getting something more personal. Even Harry had thought about it; a tattoo to represent his parents and his godfather. She'd thought about something to commemorate Fred or the battle, but nothing she seemed right.

Ginny looked through books for ideas. She flicked through the popular hearts and flowers, laughing when she saw a lightening bolt piercing a heart, with initials inside. She made a mental note to tell Harry about that one.

"Here, Ginny, do you like this Snitch or that one?" asked Evie, rushing to her with another book.

"I like that one," said Ginny, pointing to a Golden Snitch. It immediately made her think of Harry.

Evie wrinkled her nose. "Really, I like this one better." She pointed to the other.

"It's your body, get the one you like," shrugged Ginny. She watched as Evie nodded and left to go show the waiting tattoo artist what she had chosen.

"Come on, Ginny, pick one," she ordered herself. She looked through several more books, but nothing seemed right. Harry's face kept popping up in her mind, and she knew she wanted to get something for him.

The last tattoo artist approached her. "Having trouble deciding on something?" he asked, knowingly. "I'm Ben, I'll be tattooing you tonight."

She nodded. " I'm Ginny. Sorry to keep you waiting. It just...it has to be the right one, you know?"

"Of course," he agreed. "What are you thinking?"

"Well...obviously I love Quidditch. I've been flying since I was little. But I'd really like to get something for Ha...my boyfriend, sort of combine my two loves" she finished, feeling silly. Calling him her boyfriend seemed so juvenile, they both knew they were it for each other.

A large man, heavily tattooed, walked past. "Yo, Benny, thanks, my girl's gonna love it," he grinned, revealing several teeth missing. Ginny looked as he flexed his bicep,to see an inked woman dancing.

He and her tattoo artist bumped knuckles. "See ya next time, Mick," grinned Ben. After Mick had left, Ben explained. "He's a regular."

Ginny nodded. "You can make them move?" she asked.

Ben nodded. "Sure. They're actually my specialty."

An idea came to Ginny's mind, a great way to combine her love of Quidditch and Harry. "What about a Snitch?"

"Easy," shrugged Brian.

"And it would be able to move all over my body?" she queried.

"If that's what you want?" he agreed.

Ginny nodded. "That's what I want." He gestured for her to follow him, and he took her out the back. She saw the other girls there, who called out to her. It looked like Evie was nearly done, and Tonya had either passed out or was asleep.

"Probably for the best," noted Ben, "hers will take awhile." He patted to a table. " Sit here." Ginny hopped up, feeling a bit nervous. "Right, so we need to discuss where you want the tattoo placed. I'll do a simple numbing charm, so there won't be too much discomfort. Have you selected a design of the Snitch you want?"

Ginny nodded. "The Golden Snitch," she said decisively, "on my shoulder blade."

"Good choice. Once it's done, it's a matter of doing a charm to set it in motion. Basically it will seek out heat in your body and move to that area. Can be kind of fun in the bedroom, if you get my drift," he teased.

Ginny flushed. "My partner played Seeker at Hogwarts. He should be up for the challenge," she teased back.

Ben looked amused. "Ginny, I know who your partner is. From what I hear, he's impressive on the pitch."

"And even better in the bedroom," giggled Ginny, then gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "Shit, promise me you won't repeat that to anyone." She still had a light buzz going on.

"Cross my heart," he grinned. She looked doubtful. "Hey, if you can't trust your tattoo artist, who can you trust?" He began to draw the stencil.

She relaxed slightly. " Sorry, we've just been caught out before, by people who swear we can trust them, only to read about ourselves in the paper the next day. I'm just cautious." And protective of Harry; she knew he hated the press intrusion into their every day lives.

"I swear I'm one of the good guys," he vowed, laying out the stencil on her shoulder blade after she had approved the design. He gestured for her to go and check the placement in a mirror.

Evie, who was first to be finished, joined her. "You're getting a Snitch, too?" she asked in surprise.

Ginny nodded. "No matter how many goals I score, the game only ends when the Snitch is caught," she explained, not wanting to reveal Harry's part in her tattoo.

"But you won't see it back there," protested Evie, showing her Snitch tattoo on her inner wrist.

"That's okay, I don't need to see it, I'm a Chaser," she reasoned. Suzanna called out to them to come see hers. Ben nodded for her to go ahead as he readied his needles and colours.

Suzanna had tattooed an interlocked double H, one in green, the other gold, on her bicep. "Looks cute, right?" she asked.

Ginny and Evie assured her it did. They all checked on the progress of Tonya and Rebecca. Their linework was done and their artists were just getting started on the colouring. A Harpy talon clawed its way over one shoulder.

"That's going to look amazing," admired Ginny, turning to show Becca her stencil. Tonya snored loudly, not waking under the needles at all.

"Okay, I'm ready," said Ginny, going back to Ben.

"Last chance to change your mind," said Ben, as she sat in the chair, her back to him.

Harry's face came to mind again. "No, this is what I want," she said firmly.

Ben started the machine, and leaned forward. "Then here we go."

She winced at first, but soon became used to the needle. Brian kept her talking to take her mind off any pain and the time it was taking. She was wary at first, but he never asked her about Harry, instead, asking about her career as a Harpy.

Before she knew it, he pronounced himself done. Evie and Suzie rushed over, squealing in delight. They then returned to Becca's and Tonya's side, as they were finishing up too.

"Okay, just let me grab my wand. I'll do a cleansing charm, wait a couple of minutes and then I'll do the other charm. I'm really happy with how it turned out against your skin tone," said Ben.

Ginny sat up, feeling a trickle of coldness as he performed the cleansing charm. He got up to stretch and go grab them both a cold Butterbeer. He sat back down, looking at the tattoo. " Okay, you ready?" At Ginny's nod, he waved his wand over her shoulder blade, muttering quietly as he performed the charm. Ginny winced as she felt the whole area burn, but it quickly settle.

Ben placed a bandage over the art on her shoulder blade. "Keep this clean," he told her, handing her a list of instructions. "It'll take a couple of hours to settle before it has full body range, but it will always settle back on your shoulder blade," he informed her.

"Good. Will I feel it?" she asked.

He nodded. "If I did my job right, you should, especially when it's moving around, seeking the warmth of your body parts. It should feel like the wings of a butterfly, as that's the part of the Snitch you'll feel. Your boyfriend will be able to feel it too, under his fingertips...or his lips," he said, grinning as she flushed. He put his fingers to his lips, miming locking them. "Not a word, I know."

Ginny grinned. "Thanks, Ben. You've been great."

They both looked over as Tonya woke. "Ow, what the fuck?" she cried, sitting up. She looked at the witch who had tattooed her; she was just placing the bandage over her tattoo. "What happened?"

"Your tattoo is done," explained the witch.

Tonya eyed her shoulder, which was all strapped up. "I just wanted a Quaffle and a Beater's bat," she said in surprise.

"Oh, dear," sighed Rebecca, and the three others laughed.

"You kind of changed your mind when you got here," explained Ginny.

"It looks cool," insisted Evie.

"Oh. Okay," said a passive Tonya, stumbling to sit up. She took the list of instructions from her tattoo artist and stood, almost falling to the ground.

The other four dived for her, catching her before she hit the ground. "Did I pass out?" she asked them.

"Actually, you fell asleep," said Suzie. "Snored like a banshee."

"So where are we going next?" asked Rebecca.

Suzie looked excited. "We're going to Muggle London, there's a great dance club there."

With that, the five Harpies went and paid for their tattoos, and headed back up to Diagon Alley, to cross into Muggle London so they could continue their celebrations.

0O0

Harry woke slowly, still feeling the after effects of a night shift at Azkaban. He reached for Ginny but her side of the bed was bare. Glancing at the clock he saw it was two in the afternoon; he had been asleep for just over six hours.

When he realised his night shift at Azkaban coincided with Ginny's last match, he had tried unsuccessfully to swap with another Auror. No-one wanted to pull an extra shift at Azkaban no matter how many shifts Harry offered to do in exchange.

To his relief, Ginny hadn't minded. After all, there was no chance of either team making it to the finals, so they were just going through the motions that day, although both teams wanted to finish on a high. She understood there would be times Harry couldn't make it to her matches, and told him so. Besides, she had a night out planned with the girls, so even if he _had_ gone, he would have only seen her for about an hour or two after the match.

She had told him she planned to spend the night at Suzanna's as they were going to celebrate their end of season. So he definitely hadn't expected her to be home this morning when he returned from work, but he thought she might be home by the time he woke up.

"Gin?" he called, but there was no answer. He reached over to her bedside drawers, fishing for some chocolate he knew she kept there for 'that time of the month', and took a couple of small pieces. He then burrowed under the covers, pulled Ginny's pillow to him and promptly fell back asleep.

He woke again a couple hours later, feeling much better. He stretched, then got up and took a quick shower, dressing in just his boxers. When he returned to the bedroom, Ginny was there, sipping a cup of tea. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," she teased. Her tone gentled. "Okay?"

He loped an arm around her neck, leaning down to kiss her softly. "Yeah. Just draining, you know." She nodded. "I had to raid your chocolate stash," he confessed. Something in his peripherel vision caught his eye close to her shoulder, but when he blinked and looked again, it was gone.

She shivered; the Snitch was on the move. "It's fine," she assured him.

He looked at her curiously, noticing her shiver again. "You okay?" he asked. She was simply wearing a white tank top over a black bra and her jeans. "Cold?"

She giggled; very unlike Ginny. "What is it?" he asked, taking her cup from her when she silently offered, and took a sip.

She shook her head, dismissing his question. He looked at her quizzically, but she waved her hand. "Finish your tea," she insisted.

He did so, watching her all the while. He loved watching her, whether it be flying, playing with Teddy or simply sleeping. "How was your night with the girls. Get up to some Harpy trouble?" he teased.

"You have no idea," she grinned, unzipping her jeans and stepping out of them. "Harry, I did something last night I've wanted to do for a long time."

"Hmm?" mumbled Harry, mesmerised by her creamy legs as she stepped out of her jeans. "What?" He suddenly realised what she had said. "What did you do?"

"Harry, do you feel like a game of Quidditch?" she asked huskily.

He looked at her, noting the mischievous gleam in her eyes. "I don't feel like getting dressed and going out right now, Gin," he told her.

"Oh, you won't have to do either of those things," she assured him. Reaching up she removed her white tank top, now just wearing her black bra and matching knickers.

"And how, exactly, is this like playing Quidditch?" he asked, taking her in his arms, "although I like it so far."

She giggled; the Snitch was buried between her breasts. "You're the Seeker, Harry. Catch my Snitch," she challenged, removing her bra.

His breath hitched as his eyes zoomed in on her breasts. "You got a tattoo? A Snitch tattoo?" The wings fluttered as if it knew he was talking about it. He could barely breathe as he followed it with his eyes until it disappeared "Hey, where did it go?"

Ginny laughed; a husky sound that went straight to his groin. "I could tell you but that would be cheating." She shifted, feeling the fluttering on her inner thigh.

He leaned in and kissed her. "I thought we were on the same team?"

"Uh-uh. No teams. You're the Seeker and I am the Snitch. Are you" – her hands wandered south – "up for it, Harry?"

He growled and picked her up; instinctively she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Fuck yeah, I have never been _more_ up for it. So it moves all over your body?" He rubbed his cock against her leg, needing friction.

She nodded, whispering in his ear. "I can feel it, too. It makes me all tingly. Like your mouth does."

"Merlin, Gin," he breathed, laying her on the bed. He stood over her and slowly pulled her knickers down over her hips, past her thighs and over her legs. "Aha. I found it!" he cried triumphantly. The Snitch was on her inner thigh. He shoved his boxers down and kicked them aside.

He slowly kissed his way up her body, but by the time he got there, it had moved on. "Hey, where is it?" he cried, looking up.

"You snooze, you lose, Harry," she taunted, then shivered as both the Snitch and Harry's tongue got busy. "Merlin," she gasped, her senses on overload.

He brought her to the brink, but stopped before she could explode. He kissed up to her belly, crying out in triumph as he saw the Snitch settle on one of her breasts. "Victory," he cried, his mouth closing over the tip as he slid into her.

She arched under him, locking his body against hers with her muscled thighs. They rocked together, hard and fast, grinding against each other until first, she fell, then he followed.

They lay together after, breathing hard. "That is the fucking sexiest thing I have ever seen," he said.

Ginny chuckled, sitting up to rest her hand on her head as she looked at him. "So I dare say there will be a lot of Quidditch matches in our future."

"Count on it, baby," he agreed. He eyed the front of her body. "Where is it now?"

"Back on my shoulder blade," she told him, turning over so he could see.

His fingers traced the tattoo, then his lips followed. "Beautiful."

"He did a good job, didn't he?" asked Ginny, pleased that Harry liked it.

"I meant you," he told her softly. "Beautiful, strong, passionate. I love you, Ginny."

She leaned over and kissed him. "I love you too, Harry. Always."


	8. Chapter 8 Fireball

Ginny Potter and her daughter Lily exited the Floo together in their kitchen. "Here, love, take these to your room and hang them up," she said, handing her daughter two shopping bags.

"Sure, Mum," agreed Lily, grabbing the two and adding it to her one bag. She left the kitchen as Ginny put the kettle on. She heard Lily talking to Albus and giggle, so while she was waiting for the kettle to boil she decided to go and what her sons had been up to in her absence. They were at an age where they were either at each other constantly, or they were partners in crime.

She pushed through the door connecting the kitchen to the lounge, seeing Albus sitting on the sofa. "Hey Al, did you – what the – what happened here?"

She looked around in dismay. There was scorch marks on the wall and a hole in the door to Harry's office. "Who did this?"

James came downstairs and sat at the other end of the sofa. Albus shrugged. "Probably James."

James leaned over and poked him. "Not this time."

Ginny crossed her arms, glaring. "It was Lily then," suggested Albus.

James nodded. "Yeah, she's worse than us."

Ginny did not look amused. "Lily was with me all afternoon. If it wasn't any of you, then who else can it-"

Harry popped up from behind the sofa. "Hi honey, you're home! I've missed you." He removed the oven mitts he was wearing, dropping them onto the sofa.

James and Albus snickered. Ginny sighed. "Never mind, boys. Harry, a word?" She walked back into the kitchen, clearly expecting Harry to follow.

"Dad's in trouble," mock whispered Albus as Harry walked past them. He winked at his sons before disappearing into the kitchen.

"This will be good. Let's see how he gets out of this one," nodded James. He pulled out an Extendable Ear and threw it under the door.

"But Ginny, Ron came over and we invented this new game. We call it _'Fireball',"_ they heard their father say.

Their mother's reply was muffled, but a minute later their dad came out and threw a crumpled list in the fire.

"What was that, Dad?" asked Albus, curiously.

"The official rules of Fireball," said Harry, grumpily. He looked around to make sure Ginny wasn't in the room. "Good thing your Uncle Ron made a duplicate. Oh, don't tell your mother that...or Aunt Hermione."

"Sure, Dad," agreed Albus.

"As long as you let me and Al play too, next time Mum goes shopping with Lily," added James, cheekily.

Harry nodded happily but then frowned. "It won't be for awhile. Your mum said Ron can't come over when she's not here."b

Albus and James laughed. "Ha ha, Mum grounded you from having your best friend come over."

Harry thought about it for a second, then went back to the kitchen. "Gin...?" The door shut and they heard no more.

James grabbed some paper and started writing. "What are you doing?" asked Albus.

"If a couple of old guys like Dad and Uncle Ron can come up with Fireball, we should be able to do better. I'll call it...Ultimate Fireball!" James eyes lit up as he began to write.

Albus rolled his eyes. "we're gonna need a bigger house," he said to himself.


	9. Chapter 9 Memories

***This is from one of blvnk-art's works on James and Lily, but the story is Harry and Ginny.** *

James Potter sat down on the lounge next to his wife. Lily smiled at her husband. "You should have seen Harry saying those words in the kitchen, it was so cute," she said.

James smiled half heartedly.

"James, what is it? What was the message that took you so long to read upstairs?" she asked.

James hesitated. "Lily..." he took her hands in his own. "It was about the McKinnons."

The smile fell from Lily's face. James nodded. "They've killed the whole family last night. Marlene...Marl's gone, Lil. I'm so sorry," he said, tears in his own eyes for their dear friend.

Lily stared at him; his words were imcomprehensible. But James wouldn't cry unless it was true. The horror of one of her best friends being murdered was too close to home, reminding her that her family, her son, was part of a prophecy and the reason they were in hiding.

She fell into the safety of her husband's arms, and together they wept for their fallen friend.

000

Years Later

"Kingsley, I came as soon as I got your owl," said Ginny, taking a seat after being ushered into Kingsley's office. " Is it Harry, has he been hurt?" Her husband was currently away on an Auror assignment in Spain.

"No, that's going well, and Harry is fine, but he _is_ the reason why I owled you today. This letter arrived for him here at the Ministry. Normally I would wait for him to return, but as you can see it is marked _'Private and Urgent'_. So, here," offered Kingsley, handing it to her.

Ginny took it and looked at it. "It has a Muggle stamp," she noted, turning it this way and that.

Kingsley nodded. "Yes, it was diverted to the magical post office and forwarded here.

Ginny looked at the address. "Mr Potter, c/o Ministry of Magic, London. And you're sure this is for Harry? I mean, it's not even marked for a Harry, or H Potter?" she asked curiously.

"Only one way to find out," shrugged Kingsley. "We had it checked over for dangerous spells and such."

Still Ginny hesitated. "It's marked _'Private'_. I really don't think I should open it," she said.

"It also says Urgent," reminded Kingsley.

Ginny nodded and carefully opened the letter. She read the opening lines, frowning. Her eyes skimmed to the bottom, then back to Kingsley. "It's from a woman named Maria Hunter. She said her mother passed recently and, while they were cleaning out her mother's flat, they found a box of her mother's sister's belongings. She writes, ' _my aunt was one of you, a witch. She was murdered many years ago. I found a box of letters and photo albums belonging to her. The name Potter is mentioned often. I wondered if you would like to take a look, keep them or forward them if they mean something to somebody, anybody, in your world. You would need to come by soon though, I am leaving to return to Ireland, where I live. Please contact...'_ Ginny looked up. "There is a phone number and an address. I think the flat is somewhere near Bristol. Oh," she gasped, reading more. "She's leaving in three days time. Harry won't be back by then."

"You should go, then," encouraged Kingsley. "I can accompany you if you like."

"Thanks, but I'm sure you have more important things to do," teased Ginny. "I might see if Ron or one of my brothers will come with me. I wonder what the letters and photo albums will show."

"Did she mention who her aunt was?" asked Kingsley, curiously.

Ginny read again, nodding. "Marlene McKinnon."

0o0

"Hello, Jenny, wasn't it? I'm Maria," asked the young woman who opened the door.

"Hi, actually it's Ginny, Ginny Potter, and this is my brother Ron. My husband is Harry Potter," explained Ginny, as the woman opened the door to let them in.

"Harry," mused Maria. "I'm sure I read that name in a couple of letters. Yes, I'm sure there was one about his birthday, or something." She lead them to the lounge.

Ginny's heart beat faster. "His parents were James and Lily. They were, I believe, very good friends with your aunt."

"Now James and Lily's names I do remember," said Maria, sitting down. Ron and Ginny copied her, sitting opposite. "Those names feature in most of my aunt's letters, and in some of the photo albums."

"Really?" asked Ginny, trying not to get her hopes up too high.

Maria nodded, gesturing to a trunk near where Ron and Ginny sat. "This belonged to my aunt, I think it was sent to my mum after someone from your world told us she had died. My grandparents and uncle died that night, too. My mum told me she probably would have too, if she had been home that night," she explained sadly.

Ginny hitched a breath as she saw the trunk was one that young Marlene would have taken to Hogwarts.

"Your mother wasn't magical?" asked Ron.

Maria shook her head. "I forget what you call us, but no, my mum wasn't magical. My grandparents were, though. My mum, she died of cancer a month ago."

"I'm so sorry. When your family were killed, it was a horrible time in our world. So many witches and wizards were murdered by Death Eaters," said Ginny sadly.

Maria nodded. She gestured to the trunk. "Please, take a look inside. I-I'll give you some privacy, while I put the kettle on. I hope you haven't come all this way for nothing...but I couldn't just throw them away."

"Thank you," said Ron, knowing Ginny was itching to open the trunk.

Maria nodded and left. Ginny's eyes had barely left the trunk. "Accio trunk," said Ron, and the trunk ended up on the lounge between the two siblings.

Ginny ran her hand over the familiar school trunk. "If what I think, what I hope, is inside..."

Ron patted her shoulder. "Open it, Ginny."

With a deep breath, Ginny opened the trunk. She peered inside, spotting four of five photo albums and a whole pile of letters, tied together with a faded ribbon.

Ginny picked up the photo album on top. She opened it carefully. "Oh, it looks like it's from Marlene's Hogwart's days. Looks like she was a Gryffindor. Look, isn't that that our fireplace?" Ron nodded, seeing the familiar common room.

Ginny flicked through several pages. "It looks like these are taken from her fourth or fifth year onwards, as most of her friends look like they are fourteen or fifteen, I guess. Oh...it's Lily. Harry's mum," whispered Ginny, reverently.

Ron peered over her shoulder, as she turned a couple more pages over. "Is that, look, that's Harry's dad," he chuckled, " and Sirius. Look at their hair!"

Ginny looked up at Ron. "Do you know what this will mean to Harry?" she asked softly.

Ron nodded. "Everything."

Ginny picked up the letters. She slid the top one out and opened it, reading. A tear ran down her cheek. "Listen to this," she instructed Ron. "It's from August 1980, a letter to Amelia Bones," she exclained.

 _'I just went to see little Harry today. James is as proud as punch, of course. Sirius too, if you can believe it. He's the baby's godfather, and anyone would think he had a hand in Harry's conception, ha ha. Still, he is the cutest baby, a great combination of both James and Lily, with his black hair and Lily's green eyes._

 _Lily is still glowing. I can't believe both she and Alice had their boys just a day apart. Of course, we joked that they would grow up as best friends. But even as we were laughing about their future, it only made us more aware that there is a chance one of these two precious boys might be the one mentioned in the prophecy._

 _We have to end this, Amelia. Harry and Neville and all the children deserve a future. It's this thought that keeps me going. I still think we might have a double agent amongst us, and I think Sirius is beginning to believe me. Please be wary of who you talk to, there are so few of us that we can trust wholly._

 _If you get the chance, do go visit Lily and James and the baby. When I held Harry, I felt hope. Hope that he will grow up happy, never knowing the fear we live in daily, but just know how loved he is._

 _Hope we can catch up soon. Your friend,_

 _Marlene._

Ginny folded the letter back up and put it back in its envelope, just as Maria returned with a tray bearing a tea pot, three cups and a plate of shortbread. She set it down on the coffee table, stopping when she saw Ginny brush tears away. "Oh. Would you like some more privacy," she offered.

Ginny shook her head. "No, it's fine, thank you, though. My, what a lovely tea set."

"It was my mum's," smiled Maria, beginning to pour. Ron took the first tea cup and two pieces of shortbread. "So did any names in the letters or albums sound familiar?" she asked.

Ginny nodded. "I only looked in one album, and it seemed to be of Marlene and her friends at Hogwarts...and yes, my husband's parents were in some of the photos that I saw. I also read one of her letters, and it mentioned your aunt visiting my husband's parents after the birth of their son, my husband, Harry," said Ginny.

"What happened to your in-laws?" asked Maria.

"They were murdered on All Hallow's Eve, both of them. My husband was only fifteen months at the time, but he survived and was sent to stay with his mother's sister. She was...non-magical, like you," explained Ginny.

"Does he even remember James and Lily?" asked Maria.

Ginny shook her head. "He has so few photos of them. All he has learnt of them are from other people's memories. He did get to know Sirius, his godfather...but he was killed too, a couple years later," finished Ginny, softly.

"Wow, he has had a hard life," realised Maria, completely unaware of just how much of an understatement her words were.

Ron nodded. "In the end, it fell to Harry to save our world when he was only seventeen. He's my best friend, and a great husband to my sister. His parents would be proud of the man he has become," he finished thickly, brushing a hand over his eyes.

Ginny patted his leg. "Harry now works as an Auror, kind of like a wizard police man. He's out of the country on an important assignment, otherwise he would be here with me today," said Ginny.

"So you definitely want to take the trunk?" asked Maria.

Ginny nodded. "Oh yes, please. You have no idea what this will mean for my husband."

Maria smiled. "Good, then I know I made the right decision to send that letter."

"Erm, would you like something for the trunk, some sort of compensation?" asked Ginny, unsure of the protocol.

Maria shook her head firmly. "Heavens, no. To be honest, if no-one responded to the letter, I would have thrown this all out. I can't take it back with me to Ireland."

"Trust me, it will be well looked after at ours," assured Ginny.

She and Ron stayed another half hour before leaving with the trunk. Ginny hugged Maria when she left, wishing her well for the future. The woman really had no idea of what she had just given Harry, but Ginny did.

0O0

Harry padded downstairs, glad to be home. He'd just got back from Spain, filled Robards in on the assignment, filed his report, then Flooed home, with the promise of three days off.

He saw Ginny sitting in the lounge; she had been quiet ever since he arrived home from the Ministry an hour ago.

"Gin? Love, is everything all right? What's your school trunk doing here?" he asked, standing near the sofa.

She turned to face him, patting the sofa next to her. "It's not mine. Come sit, Harry." He did, and she picked up his hand in hers. "While you were away, a letter came for you at the Ministry. Kingsley owled me because it was marked Private and Urgent," she said.

You opened it?" he asked. She nodded. He squeezed her hand. "Gin, it's fine, you're my wife. I can't imagine what it was, but I have no secrets from you."

"I know," she agreed. "I did open it. It was actually from a Muggle. She had this trunk," she gestured to it, " it was in her mother's house. It belonged to her mother's sister...Marlene McKinnon."

Harry sat up straighter. "They were killed before my parents, the whole family," he exclaimed.

Ginny shook her head. "Marlene's Muggle sister wasn't at the house that night," she explained.

"Sirius spoke of Marlene once, I think...or was it Hagrid? She was in the Order," said Harry.

Ginny nodded. "Maria was cleaning up her mum's flat and found the trunk. She looked through it, and found some stuff. She sent a letter to Mr Potter, care of the Ministry, because...the Potters are mentioned often in the letters and photo albums," she said slowly.

Harry's eyes widened as he realised what she was saying. His eyes flickered to the trunk, then back to her. "Have you...?"

Ginny nodded. "Maria had marked the letter urgent because she was returning to Ireland, where she lives. You wouldn't have made it back in time, so I went to see her, along with Ron."

"Good," exhaled Harry.

"We opened the trunk while we there," said Ginny. "I looked at one album and read one letter, and I knew I had to bring it home for you. After Ron left, I went through the rest of the photo albums. Oh, Harry..." Sorrow crossed her face.

Harry swallowed. "Is it...are they...?"

Ginny nodded. "The album I saw with Ron was when Marlene was at school. Harry, we saw your mum and dad, Sirius, Frank and Alice Longbottom. She was good friends with your parents, Harry."

He stared at her dumbly. She slid a particular album onto his lap. "There's a whole album on their wedding, Harry," she said softly. "There's photos of your mum and your dad; together. There's a photo of her, hugely pregnant with you, and your dad has his hand on her belly, his mouth is dropped open. I think he felt you kick him," she laughed, shakily.

His eyes searched hers, then looked at the album on his lap. "Really?" he asked, in barely a whisper.

Ginny nodded. "There's letters from Lily to Marlene, from Alice, from Sirius, even. Her friends were important to her, Harry. Your parents, Sirius, were important to her. _You_ were important to her," she said quietly.

"I can't believe it," said Harry, running his hands through his hair.

Ginny nodded. "If I hadn't gone when I did, Maria said she was going to throw the whole lot out."

Harry exhaled. "It could have been lost forever," he realised. He hugged her hard. "Thank you."

She hugged him back, content to stay in his arms. "Harry, there's more. I didn't tell Ron, but in the bottom of the trunk, there was a video." She was familiar with tv's, dvd's and videos, thanks to Harry and Hermione's influence.

He stilled. "What was on it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I haven't watched it. It's simply labelled _'The Potters'._

He sucked in a breath. "Will you watch it with me?"

"If you want me to," offered Ginny. He nodded, unable to speak. "I'll have to go to the Burrow, Dad's got the video player. Why don't I go now, give you some space to look at the albums and read the letters."

Harry nodded, picking up the album still in his lap. "I can't believe it," he repeated softly.

She stood and walked around the sofa. She encircled his neck from behind. "I'll take my time," she said softly. "Enjoy your parents, Harry." With that, she left via the Floo.

0O0

They sat in the dark as the home movies played on screen. Tears unashamedly ran down both their faces, as Harry and Ginny watched his younger self celebrate his first birthday.

Familiar names and faces flashed by. Sirius, a weary looking Remus, Amelia Bones, Hagrid. Even Bathilde Bagshot was there. Frank and Alice Longbottom were there, with Alice holding one year old Neville.

But all Harry saw was himself, surrounded by his parents. He saw them laughing, hugging and kissing each other, and himself, often.

"We were a family, a real family," he whispered, almost brokenly.

Ginny drew him close. "They loved you so much," she said. "Every time the three of you are on the screen, I can see it, feel it."

He nodded, smiling as Hagrid picked him up and tossed him in the air. Lily and Sirius shrieked in alarm, but little Harry simply giggled. 'Mo', mo', Hagid," he urged.

"That's my boy," announced James, proudly.

" _His boy_ ," said Harry softly, watching as James took little Harry from Hagrid. He set little Harry down, encouraging him to walk to his mother. They all cheered when Harry made it to Lily, who picked him and sat him in a chair, then she lit the candle on his birthday cake. They all began to sing the birthday song, James and Sirius the loudest of them all.

His mother kissed his cheek. "Make a wish, my darling," she said, and she helped him blow out the candle on his cake. Everybody cheered.

"Now open presents," urged Sirius. He thrust one under Harry's nose. "Mine first."

James helped him take the paper off, with Lily sighing as she saw what it was. "Sirius you didn't?" she scolded, as a broomstick was revealed.

" Course I did. My godson is going to be the best Chaser for Gryffindor, you'll see, Lil. Just like his dad," beamed Sirius. James nodded in agreement, then stood and moved away when someone called his name.

Alice Longbottom sat down next to Lily in James' abandoned seat. The two boys, Neville and Harry, babbled at each other, while Lily and Alice talked about general stuff.

Abruptly, the footage ended. Harry forwarded the video, but there was nothing more on there.

There was silence, then a heartfelt, "wow," from Harry.

"Are you okay, love?" asked Ginny.

He nodded. "I feel...sad, but happy. Sad for obvious reasons, but happy, because I got to see a part of their real, actual life. This was a day, an hour of their lives -"

"Of _your_ lives," reminded Ginny. "You were there, too."

He nodded. "It was everything I ever thought a family would be like, before I met yours, of course. It was...brilliant."

"Maybe later we could show it to Neville," suggested Ginny.

Harry nodded, hugging her. "Thank you, Gin. I wish I could thank this Maria woman."

"I thought you might, so I got her address. We can write her a nice thank you letter," suggested Ginny," perhaps send her some flowers."

0o0

He did share the video and albums with Neville; the two men watching the video alone, together. They were both silent as they watched, no words were needed. Both were aware of how amazing it was to get this tiny glimpse of a life, of families, lost.

It wasn't the last time they watched the video. Often Ginny would find Harry watching it late at night, especially on his birthday. And years later, when their children asked questions about their Potter grandparents, Harry would get out the photo albums and video, proud to be able to show them a glimpse of what might have been.

James and Lily Potter would never be forgotten.


	10. Chapter 10 Luck

Ginny considered herself a practical woman, not one for being sentimental or superstitions. However, she was aware she did like a certain routine before her Quidditch matches. She liked to shag Harry, get to the stadium in plenty of time, go for a fly around the pitch early before retreating to the dressing room for a massage. Then she liked to go somewhere quiet, where she could listen to some hard rock through her headphones before dressing in her uniform. She was usually the last to fly out to the pitch and the last to leave the dressing rooms after the match.

Nothing too quirky about that, right? It's not like she wore the same socks or knickers from her first win, or the match where she scored a record twenty six goals! It's not like she had to face East to pray to the Gods for the ability to fly better than she had ever flown before, like Leila, their Beater. Or run her hands over her broom exactly seventeen times before mounting it, like their Keeper, Juanita. Nope, she, Ginny Weasley, had no time for nonsense like that.

Or so she thought. Funny, the little things you forget.

She had always worn her hair up when she played Quidditch, even for Gryffindor. Her first match for the Harpies had been harder than she had expected, and her hair began to unravel slightly, getting in the way, and it was so annoying she had it cut the very next day. Now her style was short and funky.

But back then she wore it braided and pinned back, even way back from her very first win for Gryffindor, when she had to replace Harry as Seeker. That night, as she unbraided her hair, she set aside the pink hair tie – _Pink! Her brothers would never let her live it down!_ – and gave it no further thought. But she happened to wear it in the last match against Ravenclaw which they won, giving Gryffindor the House Cup.

The following year, Harry was captain, and she finally had the chance to play Chaser, her more favoured position. But the team was unsettled all year, with the poisoning of Katie Bell and her brother Ron. Later, when Harry got detention with Snape, Ginny had to revert back to Seeker for the final match of the year. Out came her trusty pink hair band and, once again, Gryffindor won the match and the House Cup.

And Harry had kissed her.

By the time he returned to Gryffindor Tower she had undone her hair and wore her pink hair band on her wrist. It was only later that night, as she readied herself for bed, still unable to believe all that had happened – _Harry actually kissed me!_ – that she removed the hair band and looked at it. She smiled and carefully put it away for next time, unaware that future events meant there would be no Quidditch the following year.

Now, fast forward to the current time, and she hadn't even given it a thought for her first match, simply grabbing the first hair band she saw. They hadn't won, but she had performed well, eleven goals and four assists. The Harpies had lead most of the match, but the Ballycastle Seeker was just that much faster than Maria, the Harpies counterpart.

So now, here she was, about to leave to head to Exmoor for her next match; her second. Her hair was now short but she had grabbed the pink hair band and put it on her wrist, even though she knew she couldn't wear it like that for the match. She went downstairs, where Harry waited for her.

He reached for her, pulling her flush against him. He was just dressed in his boxers, for he wouldn't head to the stadium for another couple of hours yet. She hugged him back, beginning to feel nervous for the match ahead.

Pulling away, she flicked her hair band. "What's that?" he asked.

"My lucky charm...only now I can't use it," she said, flicking it again.

Harry looked at it for a moment. "May I?" he asked, holding out his hand.

She took it off and handed it to him, watching as he quickly wound his long-ish hair up into a bun, securing it with her pink band. With the two week stubble on his upper lip and chin, he looked incredibly sexy.

She smirked. "Are you going to the match like that? Ron will take the piss, you know it."

He shrugged. "Let him do his worst. If it helps you, it'll be worth it." He smirked. "You could rub me, if you want. You know, for luck," he taunted.

Ginny kissed him lightly, then deepened it. "I thought I did this morning," she flirted. With a glance at the clock, she stepped back. " Damn, I have to go. I – thanks, Harry." She grabbed her bag and with a last look back at him, – _or was she looking at her hair band?_ – she left.

The Harpies won their match that day and Ginny had another good game. As the players flew around the pitch waving to the fans, Ginny made eye contact with Harry, who patted his bun knowingly. She nodded, blew Teddy a kiss, then flew off to join her team-mates.

Later that night, after an epic Harpy celebration, Harry helped Ginny undress for bed. She then lay there, willing her head to stop spinning as she watched Harry undress. Damn he was sexy...and all hers.

She watched him take the hair band out, his long hair falling past his shoulders. "So, I guess _you're_ my lucky charm now," she sighed happily, beckoning him to her with her finger.

He grinned. "Does that mean I'm going to get lucky tonight?"

"Tonight...and every night," she giggled.

He flung the hair band over his shoulder and leapt onto the bed. "Harry, my hair band!" she cried, diving off the bed to retrieve it and put it away somewhere safe, for next time.

Okay, so maybe she was a little sentimental... and still a bit drunk. After all, she had earned the nickname _Firewhiskey_ that night!


	11. Chapter 11 Dating

Harry arrived earlier than he expected at the Leaky Cauldron where he was meeting Ginny. They had dinner plans in Muggle London but he decided to indulge in a quick drink while waiting for her. Hannah Abbot greeted him and took his order, promising to bring it over to his table.

As Harry made his way to his preferred table, he happened to notice Neville Longbottom sitting alone. "Hey, Nev," he greeted.

"Hey, Harry, how are you?" asked Neville, gesturing for him to join him.

Harry did so; it still afforded him a good view for when Ginny arrived. "I'm good, just waiting for Ginny, actually. We're going out for dinner."

Neville shifted in his chair, looking around. "That's nice. So things are good between you and Ginny, then?"

"Yeah...I mean, we both have busy careers. Now I'm a second year trainee, we're doing lots more out in the field. And of course, Ginny is up in Wales every day, training hard with the Harpies. We actually both have the weekend off so -"

"Harry, you have to help me," interrupted Neville, leaning in closer. "I need advice...there's this girl."

Harry looked surprise that someone was actually asking _him_ for love advice. "Just because I'm with Ginny, doesn't mean I know how I did it," he blurted out.

Neville snorted. "We all saw the infamous kiss in the common room, Harry."

"Yeah, that was me," agreed Harry, "but everything since...that's all Ginny. Er, who's the girl?"

Neville looked around, then leaned back in to whisper. "Hannah."

"HANNAH ABBOTT?" yelled Harry. That was a surprise.

"Sssh," hissed Neville, shooting him a dirty look.

"Did you call, Harry? Need another drink? Hi, Nev, how are you? Can I get you anything?" asked Hannah, appearing suddenly upon hearing her name called.

"I'm fine, thanks Hannah. No drink for me, I'll just keep Harry company for a bit." Neville tried not to blush and failed spectactularly.

"Oh, okay. Harry?" queried Hannah, shooting Neville a concerned look.

"I'm still good, thanks. Say, are you seeing anyone right now?" asked Harry. "Ow!" he jumped as Neville's foot made contact with his leg. Luckily, Hannah was distracted by a loud conversation at the bar.

"Er, Harry, Ginny just arrived and it looks like she's having words with Blaise Zabini. She's looking a bit..." Hannah tried to think of a nice way to express exactly how Ginny looked.

"Pissed. She looks pissed," noted Neville, then flushed when Hannah looked at him.

"Yeah, what he said," she agreed.

"I'm on it," said Harry, getting up and going over to Ginny and Blaise. In the back of his mind, he recalled Pansy Parkinson saying Blaise thought Ginny was attractive, years ago on the Hogwarts Express. He walked faster.

As angry as Ginny looked, Blaise merely looked amused as he towered over her. Harry came up behind his girlfriend in time to here Blaise taunt her.

"Do you want me to get you a step stool so you can look me in the eye when you threaten me, Weasley?" he sneered. "How tall are you, anyway?"

"You've sunk low enough for it not to be a problem," said Ginny, haughtily. "Besides, height is just a social construct."

"So you're short," stated Blaise.

"Knock it off, Zabini," sighed Harry, putting an arm around Ginny's shoulders.

"Speaking of short..." drawled Blaise, looking his way.

Harry bristled; his height was a touchy subject. "Hey, I'll have you know I'm five foot ten...and a quarter," he said defensively.

Blaise crossed his arms in amusement. "Ah yes, I remember when I was five foot ten. I believe I was fourteen."

"You were a jerk at fourteen too, so nothing much has changed," taunted Ginny. "Apologise to Harry."

"Apologise," jeered Blaise, "over my rich, hot, dead body."

"Come on, Ginny, stop fighting with Zabini," pleaded Harry.

"We're not fighting, Potter, we're having a creative discussion," said Blaise, smoothly. "It's the passion between us, can't you feel it?"

"We are too fighting," bristled Ginny, reaching for her wand.

"Creative discussion."

"Fighting."

"Discussion."

"Fight."

Harry huffed. " Now you're just having a fight about if you're actually having a fight. Gin, Neville is here and wants to say hello. Say goodnight, Ginny." He was fuming about the _'passion'_ comment.

"Or you can wish me a good morning. My house elf makes the best mimosas," coaxed Blaise, winking at her.

"Merlin, now you're flirting with me in front of my boyfriend!" cried Ginny. "You're an ass! How do you sleep at night?"

"On silk sheets, rolling naked amongst galleons. You're more than welcome to join me," purred Blaise. Ginny snorted in derision.

Harry shot Blaise a withering look as Ginny pulled him away. He then focused on her. "You really shouldn't insult people who are bigger than you," he advised.

"Then I'd never get to insult anyone," protested Ginny. She smiled as they reached Neville; she leant over to hug him before sliding into a seat. "Hi, Nev."

"Hi, er, everything okay?" he asked, gesturing to Zabini, still at the bar.

Ginny nodded, Blaise already forgotten. "How are you?"

Harry leaned over to whisper so only the three of them could hear. "He's having problems with a girl," he confided.

Ginny looked interested. "Like, _'her dead body won't fit into your trunk'_ kind of problems, or ' _you like her'_ problems?"

"' _I like her,_ problems," confirmed Neville.

Ginny took a sip of Harry's drink, grimacing that it had gone warm. "Too bad, I would have actually helped you out with the other one." She grinned to let him know she was teasing.

Hannah walked past, a fully loaded tray on her arm for the booth close to them. "So, dinner out tonight. Ron and Hermione joining you?" asked Neville, changing the subject quickly

"Merlin, no," said Harry. "The last time we went out together, it did not end well."

"We went out to a Muggle restaurant; Hermione chose it. It was one of those _'all you can eat'_ restaurants. Ron took it as a personal challenge," sighed Ginny. "Poor Hermione, imagine cleaning up after that!"

Neville grinned, being quite familiar with Ron's love of food. Still, hearing about Ron and Hermione, and seeing Harry and Ginny together, reminded him of his problem.

"Look, you know I think you two are perfect together, but I have to ask...how did you know that Harry was the one?" he asked her.

Ginny shot Harry a loving look. "He looked at me the way all women want to be looked at."

"Aw, Gin," said Harry, touched.

She nodded, cupping his cheek. "With fear in his eyes."

Harry sat back, unamused. Neville snorted, and tried to turn it into a cough when they both looked at him.

"Oh, come on, Harry, I'm kidding," cajoled Ginny, "and hungry. Can we go? Good luck, Neville. Just be yourself, you're a great guy. I'm sure it will all work out fine."

Neville nodded. "Thanks, guys." He watched them walk aeay, then resumed his Hannah-watching.

Harry reached for Ginny's hand as they walked to the exit. "Gin, I never told you it was Hannah that Nev was keen on. How did you know?"

Ginny grinned. "I had a similar conversation with Hannah just last week, Harry. She's head over heels for him, has been since their seventh year."

 _The year he'd been away_. "Well, I hope they sort things out. I think they'd be good together."

They both looked wary as Blaise blocked their exit. "Leaving so soon, Weasley. Don't dream about me too much tonight." He laughed as he walked away, making Ginny clench her fist. Unfortunately it was the one that was being held by Harry.

"Ow!" cried Harry, releasing her hand and shaking his own. "Fuck, why are you so strong!"

Ginny shrugged. "I grew up with six older brothers. Someone had to protect them." She reached for his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it. "Better?"

Slightly mollified, they left and crossed over to Muggle London. "I totally could have taken Zabini, you know," said Harry, grumpily.

"Of course, Harry," said Ginny, sweetly.

They walked in silence for several seconds when Harry said, "You're mocking me, aren't you?"

"Of course, Harry," repeated Ginny, trying not to laugh. "Oh, come on, baby," she teased, "don't look like that." She threaded her arm through his.

"Like what, I don't know what you're talking about? This is my _'I don't care'_ face," he said, scowling.

"That's your normal face," reasoned Ginny. "Harry, let's not let Zabini ruin our night together."

"Okay, but you should have let me handle him," protested Harry.

"Hello, do you even know me?" asked Ginny, stubbornly.

"Look, let's just agree to say sorry – on the count of three. One...two...three."

There was silence. "See, now I'm just disappointed in both of us," grinned Harry.

She grinned back. "Let's start over. Your new pants look really nice. I'm glad you bought them." Harry was not one to go out and buy new clothes often, hating shopping as much as she did.

"Thanks, they were fifty percent off, so a real bargain," he said proudly.

"I prefer them one hundred percent off," teased Ginny.

"But that would make them free," said a confused Harry. "The store can't give away clothes for free, Gin, they'd close in a week!"

"Think about it, Harry," sighed Ginny.

Harry thought about it, and chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I'm a bit slow tonight, sorry, need food. Did I mention how pretty you look tonight?"

"Pretty? I don't want to look pretty, I want to look otherwordly and vaguely threatening," announced Ginny. She quickly realised Harry was taking the piss; she was in faded jeans and one of his old tees. "You're an idiot," she said, nudging him.

"I'm your idiot," he corrected, bringing her hand up to his mouth, as she had done earlier to him. "Forever!"

"Forever is a really long time," sighed Ginny dramatically.

"Fooorrrreeeevvvveeeerrrr," said Harry, in a deep voice, then laughed maniacally.

* _all taken from it's- hp-bitch, incorrect HP quotes._


	12. Chapter 12 Friends

Hermione Flooed into Grimmauld Place, stepping neatly out of the fireplace and heading straight for the kitchen. She and Ginny had planned to go shopping for bridesmaids dresses for herself and Luna; Harry and Ginny's wedding was only six months away.

She found Harry in the kitchen, swilling a drink from the cool box. He looked sweaty and his hair was all mussed up. "Hey, Harry," she greeted, startling him.

He swore as he spilled pumpkin juice down his front. "Hi, Hermione. Didn't hear you come in." He tried to pat himself dry.

"Where's Ginny? We were meeting here," enquired Hermione.

"Upstairs," replied Harry. "She should be down soon."

"Sorry I'm late, Hermione, I was doing...stuff" apologised Ginny, entering the kitchen, shooting Harry a saucy look.

Harry grinned and waved to his friend. "Hi, I'm _'stuff'_.

Hermione was confused. "What do you...oh...right." She flushed as the other two giggled.

"I _am_ ready to go," appeased Ginny, going over to say goodbye to her fiance.

Hermione didn't particularly want to see the two of them snogging and fondling each other so she sat at the table and looked around. There was a notepad on the table and she picked it up. "What's this?"

Ginny spun around, Harry's arm around her middle to keep her close as well as hide his erection. "Oh, it's my to-do list," explained Ginny.

Hermione was surprised, as Ginny was not noted for being the most organised person. "That's great, a wedding takes a lot of preparation. I'm glad that you're starting to get more organised, there's not a lot of time left." She glanced down at the list, then back at the couple. "This just says _'Harry',_ " she stated dryly.

"Well, you can tick that off, she's done me," he joked, nibbling at her neck. Ginny giggled and did not look like she was planning to leave any time soon.

Hermione huffed and pointedly looked at her watch. Ginny reluctantly pulled away from Harry. "Sorry love, have to go. Dresses to find, shoes to match, kill me now," she groaned. She kissed him lightly but he deepened the kiss.

Hermione coughed loudly, making the couple separate, although Ginny still stood in front of Harry. "I thought Ron was coming over," mentioned Harry.

"He is, he just got home from the shop. He should be over soon," explained Hermione.

"Do you guys want to stay for dinner? We're having a – what was it, Harry? A quickie?" asked Ginny.

Harry snorted in laughter. "It's a quiche, Gin, pronounced _keesh_ ," he said in amusement. He grabbed her again, nibbling on her ear. "We'll have the quickie later."

"Are we going today or not?" asked an exasperated Hermione, as Ginny turned to kiss him again.

Harry smacked Ginny's bottom. "Go, while you can. I should probably go and have a shower before Ron gets here. Have fun, ladies."

"Have fun with Ron," grinned Ginny. Harry saluted her and the two ladies left. He went back upstairs to take a shower, first cold, then hot. The cold shower took longer, as he was picturing Ginny in a big white dress, then himself helping her out of said dress. But finally his body was back under control and he switched to hot to finish his ablutions.

Suddenly the shower curtain was pulled aside. "Are you – stop screaming, it's just me – are you out of Doritos?" asked Ron.

Harry ran his hands through his hair, looking at his best friend's earnest face. "Ron, mate, I say this with love. Get the fuck out!"

"Sheesh, what's your problem," complained Ron.

"Lack of personal space," complained Harry, pulling the shower curtain firmly closed again.

"Yeah, well..." Ron thought hard. "Mine is a lack of Doritos," he snapped back, leaving the bathroom to go downstairs and wait. He spotted a notepad in the kitchen with Harry's name on it.

Grinning, he added to it. "Harry...must buy Ron Doritos," he wrote, talking aloud. He quickly put the quill down when Harry walked into the room, sliding the notepad to the centre of the table where Harry would be sure to see it.

"So, feeling better since last night? Thought you'd have quite the headache today," said Harry, referring to their catch up with Seamus, Dean, Parvati and Padma at the Leaky Cauldron. Hannah and Neville had joined them too.

"Oh, come on, I didn't drink that much last night," protested Ron, silently thanking Merlin and his wonderful girlfriend for hangover potions.

"You were flirting with Hermione," reminded Harry.

"So what, she's my girlfriend," said Ron.

Harry nodded. "You asked her if she was single...then cried when she said she wasn't," he teased.

Ron reddened. "Fuck!" He hoped he hadn't embarassed Hermione. "So, the girls left to go wedding shopping?" he asked, changing the subject.

Harry thought it was pretty obvious they had, but nodded.

Ron sighed. "I can't believe in six months you'll be a married man. Hey, you know what's weird? After you get married, when you introduce me to people, you're going to have to say, ' _this is my brother-in-law, Ron'._ Not _'my friend, Ron,_ I'll be your _'brother-in-law, Ron'._ That's weird, right?" he asked.

"Couldn't I just say, _'this is Ron'?_ " asked Harry.

Ron wanted to roll his eyes; Harry wasn't understanding how big this was, him marrying his sister. _And they said_ _he_ _had the emotional range of a teaspoon._ "Sure, do whatever you want," he shrugged.

"Good talk, Ron," assured Harry, patting him on the shoulder, "and buy your own fucking Doritos."

 _*all from it's-hp-bitch incorrect HP quotes_


	13. Chapter 13 Family

It was supposed to have been a standard assignment but somehow, it became so much more. They'd been ambushed; outnumbered. But somehow they'd come out of it, well, not all of them. As senior Auror on the case, Harry had to be the one to go and tell the unsuspecting parents/wife/husband that their loved one paid the ultimate price that day, and would never be coming home.

He himself had had a wand pointed at his head, and if not for the quick wandwork from one of the newer Aurors, it might be Ginny getting one of those calls tonight. But he had survived...again.

Duty done, he returned to the Ministry to file his report, trying to remember every spell cast, every word spoken. Had he missed something? He racked his brains, trying to remember every detail of the assignement from start to end.

He brushed off concerns that he should see a healer but demanded his team do so. He spoke to his boss as he handed up his report, and then he was ordered to go home.

He couldn't go home like this. Angry, confused, sad, weary and bloody angry all over again. So he headed for the Auror gym, needing to work off these feelings. He'd always tried to keep work life separate from home life, especially from the kids. Ginny, well, she knew him too well. Somehow she just knew if he needed space, or to talk it out, to fuck or to simply hold him. He doubted he could do this job half as well if he didn't have Ginny to come home to.

Finally spent, he showered quickly in the changing rooms next to the gym and dressed in the spare clothes he always kept in his office. Then, after a final check on his team – most of them had already gone home or to St Mungo's – he headed home himself.

It was close to ten at night. The house was quiet as he stepped out of the Floo. Everything was in its correct place but something felt off. He sighed; it was him. He hadn't shaken the case off enough yet.

He went to the kitchen and grabbed a cold Butterbeer, then stepped outside. He breathed in deeply. _Inhale, exhale._ He was home. And he'd get up and go back to work tomorrow, to do it all over again. Had to keep the world safe.

"Harry?"

He stilled. He should have known she'd know when he arrived home. Not much got past Ginny Potter. "Hey." He heard the thickness in his voice, and hoped she wouldn't notice, even as he knew she would. He didn't turn around; couldn't face her, not yet.

"What's happening, Harry?" she asked gently.

He shook his head, looking up at the vast sky. He couldn't speak, not yet. _Inhale, exhale._

Ginny waited, knowing something big must have happened for Harry to be this affected. She longed to hold him, to make him smile, but she sensed he still needed to work some things out in his head, was still being _'Auror Harry',_ rather than being ' _husband/dad Harry._

"I'm going back to bed," she told him softly. "I'll be there if you need me."

He nodded without turning around. He kept looking up, searching for answers. _Had he done all he could? Had he missed anything? Would the world ever be safe for his family?_

" _I'll be there if you need me."_ Ginny's words rocketed through him. _'If',_ she'd said. _If he needed her._ A longing ran through him. He always needed her.

He thought about the Aurors they'd lost that day. Never coming home to a family meal, to spend Christmas or Easter, to never celebrate a Mother's or Father's Day again. His thoughts then turned to his own family, asleep upstairs.

He owed them better than this. He'd never worn melancholy well, and James, Albus and Lily didn't deserve to be brought down by his job, by him.

With a last look into the night sky, Harry went inside.

He checked the Floo was closed and the lower half of the house was secure; old habits died hard. He then made his way upstairs, stopping to check on the children.

James was sprawled out all over his bed, snoring lightly. _'So like Ginny',_ he thought. His room smelled like gunpowder; he suspected Freddie had been over earlier with another WWW prototype.

Harry went over and pulled the cover up over James' chest. His first born, his Jamie, who had been such a delight to new parents Harry and Ginny. He was a happy kid, self confident, cheeky and loving. At fourteen, he was growing into a fine young man.

Harry left and went to Albus' room. He was curled into a ball under the covers, practically all you could see was a mop of black hair, so like his own. He and Albus had grown distant as he'd prepared for Hogwarts, which saddened him immensely. _'I have to do better by Al',_ he thought, not for the first time.

He nearly tripped over the purple unicorn as he entered Lily's room. He righted it, surprised to find it out. His little girl was growing up and had recently banished all things she considered babyish to her closet.

He stood over her, watching her sleep. _Inhale, exhale._ She was so like her mother, in looks and temperant. Did she know she held his heart in her tiny hands, and had done so from the moment she was placed in his arms?

"Daddy, you're home!" Her sleepy voice shook him out of his reminiscing of baby Lily.

"Hi, sweetheart. Sorry I missed dinner," he said softly, crouching down aand tuckinng her blankets in.

Lily yawned. "It's okay, you're home now. Will we see you at breakfast?'

He had planned to get up earlier and go into the office, go over his report again and again until it made sense, but he found himself assuring Lily he would be there. " Of course, sweetheart."

"Good. Night, Daddy." She turned and fell back to sleep.

He left her sleeping, and went down the hall to his and Ginny's room. She'd left it ajar, and as he entered, he saw she'd also left a low light on for him.

He kept his eyes on her as he got into bed, not even bothering to undress, just kicked off his shoes. He looked down at her; she was seemingly asleep, her back to him as she clutched her pillow. With a wave of his wand, the room was plunged into darkness; save for the moonlight.

"I always need you," he said in a low, gentle voice. And with that, he spooned behind her, one arm reaching around to pull her as close to him as she could possibly be. He felt her breathing. _Inhale, exhale._

Ginny grabbed the hand that was holding her flush against him. She brought it to her lips and kissed the back of it, and, interlocking their fingers, they drifted off to sleep.

~OO~

A few days later, he had the weekend off. The case that had brought so much anguish that night was now just another case. The days after had brought discussion and clarification, but since then, well, there was always new cases.

But today he had the day off and his family deserved the best of him.

He'd woken early, before Ginny, who was never a morning person, except when she was training with the Harpies. He'd watched her sleep, her Snitch tattoo taunting him on her shoulder blade. Even as he watched it, it disappeared.

She stirred, eyes opening as she woke. "Watching me again, Potter," she murmured, eyes fluttering.

"Your Snitch is taunting me," he chuckled quietly, leaning over to kiss her good morning, slow and teasing. "Where is it now?"

She yawned. "You're the Seeker," she said. "You find it."

"I will." He nuzzled her neck. "Nope, not here." She giggled, and for a moment he imagined them back at Hogwarts on those sunlit days.

She rolled onto her back as he stretched out over her body. Her teeshirt was pushed up as his hands explored her breasts. "Keep looking," she encouraged.

He grinned and kissed her torso, her abdomen and even lower.

She gasped. "Found it," he declared.

~OO~

Harry was walking down the hall later when he heard James call out to him. "Dad, got a minute?"

Harry entered James room. "What's up?"

"Well..." James was uncharacteristically nervous. "IthinkIwannabeacursebreaker," he mumbled.

"Pardon?" asked Harry, sitting on the edge of his son's bed.

James took a deep breath. "I think I want to be a curse breaker when I leave school." He hesitated. "What do you think?"

"Well, you're getting good grades in Charms and Ancient Runes," said Harry, thoughtfully. "Why don't you fire-call Uncle Bill, see if we can go and have a talk with him."

"Really?" At Harry's nod, James jumped up. "Thanks, Dad, that would be great. You'd come with me, wouldn't you?"

"Course I will. Go on, go now," he offered. James beamed and hurried out.

Harry chuckled at his enthusiasm and got up to follow his son downstairs. He happened to glance in Albus' room as he passed it, and saw his son reading a letter on his bed. "Hey, Albus," he greeted.

Albus looked up and quickly shoved the letter away. "Oh, hi, Dad."

"Is that a letter from Scorpius?" he asked.

"Yeah, so?" replied Albus, defensively.

Harry didn't take offense. "Why don't you owl him, see if he wants to come over for dinner. The weather is nice, we can do a barbecue outside," he suggested.

Albus looked startled. "You want me to invite Scorpius _Malfoy_ over to ours for dinner?" he clarified. "Why?

Harry nodded. "He's your best friend, Albus. Your mum and I would like to get to know him better, and I'm sure you'd rather have him visit than just receive letters from him. Maybe even ask him to stay for a sleepover. I'll make your favourite for breakfast," he offered.

"Pancakes? Wow, thanks, Dad. I'll write him right now," said Albus.

Harry nodded and got up to give him some privacy. "Let us know if he's coming," he reminded Albus.

"I will. Thanks again, Dad," gushed Albus.

Harry continued on his way, going downstais to find Ginny to let her know about the new dinner plans. He found Lily on the lounge floor, sorting through a box.

"Hey, Lil, what you got there?" he asked, making his way over to her.

"Victoire and Domi gave me some of their old make-up and stuff. Look, Daddy," she encouraged.

Harry wondered if Ginny knew, but Lily seemed to read his mind, just as his wife could do. "Don't worry, mum knows I'm practicing." She brightened. "Can I practise on you?"

"Me?" Harry was taken aback but Lily nodded enthusiastically.

"It's better I practice on you, because if I make a mistake, it doesn't matter, because you don't wear make-up," she explained.

"Oh, er, okay, I guess. What do I have to do?" he asked.

"Lie on your tummy," instructed Lily, and she did too. She looked at his eyes, then back to her box, selecting a colour. "This will really make your eyes pop, Dad."

"I trust you." Harry closed his eyes and let his daughter put some shadow on his eyes.

She giggled as she added some colour to his cheeks. "I could polish your nails, too," she mused.

"Fantastic," agreed Harry, and totally worth it to see that look of happiness on his daughter's face.

"And shave your beard!" exclaimed Lily.

Harry put up a hand. "Okay, rule number one. The beard – "

"I know, I know, don't touch the beard," giggled Lily.

Harry winked. "That's your mum's rule, by the way."

"Damn right," agreed Ginny, who had been watching from the door. "Good job, Lily."

~OO~

That night, as his kids – Scorpius included – played Exploding Snap, he sat back, feeling content. He and James had gone to speak with Bill, and he was proud that James asked most of the questions; he was obviously seriously thinking of his future. Bill had promised to consider him for an apprenticeship if he kept his grades up.

Scorpius had arrived after lunch, and was staying the night. Lily had blushed when he'd greeted her, causing James to snicker and Albus to frown. Harry had shot Ginny an amused look, saying quietly, _"like mother, like daughter."_ It had earned him a kick under the table.

"Come on, Harry, let's go for a fly," offered Ginny, his broom already in her hand.

As he chased after Ginny, he thought this was what life was all about. His family brought him so much happiness and gave him good reasons to get up everyday and do all he could to make their world safe. There would be cases that went wrong, unfortunately, but there would always be those cases where their team _was_ successful, where there were no fatalaties, where they could shut the file and consider them _'case closed.'_

For now, he raced after Ginny, her delectable bottom taunting him. Even after all these years, she still took his breath away.

 _Inhale. Exhale._


	14. Chapter 14 Sick

Harry sat at his desk, trying to concentrate but the words on the page were all ablur. He wondered if he might have sustained a concussion from an earlier bout today with some of the trainees; he _had_ been a bit slow and sluggish. Perhaps a delayed reaction? Either way, his head was throbbing. He decided to simply lay his head down on his nice cool desk – _just for a minute, mind_ – and then get straight back to the report he had to read.

Murmured voices pierced his pain ridden skull. He sat up abruptly as the door to his office opened. " -'m working, I'm working," he said thickly, his throat parched.

To his surprise, Ginny and the Auror secretary entered. "Gin, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Are you all right?"

Ginny nodded. "I came for you, love. Brenda owled me, said you were sick." She came around to his side of the desk and placed her hand on his forehead. "Yes, you're hot as hell. Come on, I'm taking you home."

Harry stubbornly refused to move. "Not hot," he protested, moving his head away from her hand. "You're hot." He tried to wiggle his eyebrows suggestively at her, but even that little movement hurt. "Got work to do."

"Not today, Auror Potter," said Brenda, firmly. She grabbed the file off his desk and watched as Ginny helped Harry to his feet. "I'll get this back to Mr Robards and let him know you've taken ill."

"Thank you," said Ginny, gratefully, her arms around Harry's waist. "I doubt he'll be in the rest of the week." Brenda nodded in agreement and escorted Ginny and Harry to the Auror's personal Floo.

They exited in the lounge of Grimmauld Place. "No," sighed Harry, " should be at work. Not sick," he said, before succumbing to a bout of coughing.

"Sure, you sound nice and healthy to me," said Ginny, sarcastically. She stopped him from sitting on the sofa. "Uh-uh, it's bed for you, mister," she said, encouraging him to keep walking.

"Will you be in bed with me?" he asked hopefully, as she left him momentarily to grab something from the kitchen.

"Oh, Harry, I think that's the last thing you need right now," grinned Ginny, as they got to the foot of the stairs. He looked up; there were so many!

"Gin...I don't think I can make I up the stairs," her reluctantly admitted.

"That's okay, love, I'll side-Apparate you to our room. Hang on now," she instructed, and within mere seconds, they were in their bedroom.

"Perhaps you should take a shower," mused Ginny, but Harry was already climbing onto their big king size bed.

"Uh-uh. Just sleep. Wonderful sleep," he said, his hot face relishing the coolness of the pillow.

He felt Ginny remove his boots and he let her. It was nice having someone fuss over him. "Do you want your pants and shirt off?" she asked softly, handing him some pepper-up potion. Pulling a face, he downed it quickly, willing it to stay down.

He appreciated her soft tone; his head was throbbing. "Sleep," he said simply, closing his eyes. He felt her lips against his forehead and he smiled. "Felt good," he told her.

She chuckled. " Sleep, Harry. I'll duck out to the Apothecary for some more pepper-up potion, we never re-stocked after I had the flu that time. Maybe I'll make you some chicken soup, too," she mused.

But Harry was already asleep, letting his body fight the virus he had inadverently picked up from Teddy a couple of days ago.

~OO~

He woke to a darkened room. "Gin?" he called, surprised at the croakiness in his voice. His throat hurt, his head ached and it was hot, so bloody hot.

Ginny came into the room, with a tray full of bowls and bottles floating behind her. "Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"I'd fide," he said, his nose blocked. "Fide," he amended. " Fide, damnit!"

Ginny chuckled. "Yes, you certainly sound fine! Can you sit up, I want to take your temperature." She placed her wand against his forehead.

He sat up; his entire body aching. "I told you, I'd nod sick," he coughed.

"Your temperature is 104.1! Harry, you are very sick," cried Ginny.

He shook his head; _dumb move, now he felt nauseous._ "If I was sick, could I do this?" he asked, staring at her intently.

"Er, what exactly are you doing?" asked Ginny, amused.

"Cartwheels. Am I nod doing dem?" he asked.

"Afraid not, love, although I know a lot of people who would pay good money to see that! Here, take some more potion," she encouraged.

"Ugh, tastes 'orrible," gasped Harry, downing a glass full of water immediately after.

"But it will make you feel better," soothed Ginny. She leant over him to fluff his pillows.

"I'b so hod," he complained.

"Then why are you undoing _my_ shirt?" asked Ginny, amused.

He pulled her shirt open and pulled her onto the bed. He lay his head on her chest, sighing happily as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Nod sick," he protested.

"Of course you're not," appeased Ginny. "You're my big, strong, healthy Auror and you're going to have a little sleep, then go and catch the bad guys, cos that's what you do."

Somewhere in the back of his brain he accepted she was taking the piss, but still, he nodded. "Dat's right."

"Can you eat some chicken soup for me?" she asked.

"Nod hungy," he said, cuddling up as close as he could get to her.

"All right, love, sleep now," she said softly. "I'll watch over you."

That felt nice too, the idea of having someone to watch over him. "Okay. Night, Gin."

~OO~

He woke on and off over the next twenty four hours, and sure enough, Ginny was there every time. She cajoled him into taking potions and eating some soup, helped him to the bathoom to take a shower or a piss – _I think I can handle_ _that_ _part by myself, thanks, Gin_ – and kept his sheets clean and sanitised.

He woke on the second day, simply laying in bed, gauging how he was feeling. He was warm, not hot, his head and body ached, not throbbed and he didn't feel nauseous as he sat up. Relieved, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his sweat pants.

"What are you doing?" gasped Ginny, coming into the room.

"I'm getting dressed," he replied.

"Why?" asked Ginny.

He looked at her, one leg in his sweatpants. "Because if I go outside naked, I reckon people will throw garbage at me."

"Not from our world, they wouldn't," said Ginny, dryly.


	15. Chapter 15 Wedding

Before

Harry was trying to do his shirt up but his fingers were useless. Ron, at the other side of the room, watched his best friend in the mirror. "All right there, mate?"

There was a knock on the door of Ron's bedroom, where they were getting ready. "Harry, Ron, it's me, Hermione," came a voice through the door.

"You can't come in here...Harry's naked," blurted out Ron.

Harry looked at Ron, confused. "Well I couldn't say I'm naked, she's allowed to see me naked," explained Ron.

"Why does anyone have to be naked?" asked Harry, as Hermione knocked again.

"It's bad luck," said Ron.

"That's for the groom to see the bride," scoffed Harry. He raised his voice. " Come in, Hermione."

The door opened and Hermione stepped in, looking lovely in a soft lilac dress, her hair pulled off her face to one side and held with a comb adorned with flowers. "Wow, you look so beautiful," said Ron, in awe.

Hermione flushed, pleased. "Thank you, Ronald. You all look so nice, too. The Muggle suits were a nice idea, Harry."

Harry struggled to fix his tie. GoIng over to him Hermione slapped his hands away and set to fix it right. "How's Ginny?" he asked, aware that his soon-to-be bride was only one flight down from him. "Is she nervous? She's not having second thoughts, is she? Hermione, promise me you'll get her down the aisle," rambled Harry.

Hermione pulled on his tie, making him cough. "Sorry," she said, unapologetically, "but you were going into hysterics. Ginny is doing fine. She sent me to check on you."

"I'm good. I'm good, really good. Yeah, I'm good," nodded Harry, trying to flatten his hair.

Hermione stopped him, smacking his hands. "Don't. Ginny likes it messy."

Harry grinned, relaxing slightly. "Yeah, she does."

"So, what did you want, Hermione?" asked Ron, coming to stand next to his girlfriend and best friend.

Hermione looked at them both, becoming emotional. "Can you believe we are standing here together, after all these years, and Harry is about to get married?" she asked, tearily. She grabbed both their hands.

They squeezed hers back, the three standing there together, as they had often done in the past. "I'm so happy for you, Harry. You and Ginny...you deserve all the happiness in the world. I'm glad I get to share today with you, and be a part of it," she said.

"Ditto, mate," grinned Ron, tucking Hermione under his arm.

Harry was touched. "You guys..." He was getting teary himself, "you guys really are the best. I love you both."

The three of them hugged, until a soft cough made them pull apart. They all looked over at Neville Longbottom, the other occupant of the room, and Harry's groomsman. He looked sheepish at interrupting this special moment betweeen the three. "Shall I go?" he asked.

The three laughed. Hermione broke the circle, holding out her hand for Neville to join them.

"Get over here, Longbottom," called Ron and they all hugged and laughed; great friends.

"Ginny should be here too," said Harry, longingly.

"I dare you to try and get past Aunt Muriel," warned Hermione, as the four separated. "She's keeping a close eye on that tiara, ans she's complaining that Ginny is showing too much skin in her dress and – oh, forget everything I just said!" she gasped at Harry, covering her mouth with her hand in dismay.

"Too much skin, you say?" asked Harry, interestedly. The wedding dress was the one part of the wedding he had no idea about.

Hermione was now flustered. "I have to go, forget I said anything. I'll see you down there," she said, about to leave.

She made it to the door when Harry stopped her. "Hermione, tell Ginny...tell Ginny...Fuck!" He took a moment to gather himself together. "Tell Ginny this is the happiest day of my entire life," he said thickly.

Hermione beamed, looking teary herself. "Oh, Harry, she looks so beautiful. Wait till you see her!"

"She always looks beautiful, Hermione," said Harry, emotionally.

But Hermione disagreed. "No, today is different. Today, she's wearing your love for us all to see...and she's glowing."

Harry nodded, touched at her words. "I love her so much."

"Tell us something we don't know," quipped Neville.

"Go, Hermione, I just have a few last minute things to talk about with Harry," said Ron, waving her off. She nodded and left.

Harry turned back to look at Ron, his eyes raised in query. "Is this where you threaten to hurt me if I ever hurt Ginny?" he asked amused.

"Hell no, Ginny will hurt you herself. Good luck with her, mate," said Ron, patting his shoulder.

"That's it?" asked Harry. Neville chuckled and shook his head in amusement.

There was a knock at the door, it was Bill. "Fellas...it's time," he said, opening the door.

With a last look at his reflection, Harry eagerly left the room, Ron and Neville hurrying to catch up.

During

She had never felt so beautiful, but it wasn't the stunning dress she wore, or Aunt Muriel's exquisite tiara nestled amongst her hair, with Lily Potter's actual wedding veil attached to it, found in the Potter family vault and worn, not to cover her face, but to trail down her back. Nor was it the stylish hair or perfect make-up. It was him; the way he looked at her had always made her feel beautiful and today was no different.

He choked up when he saw her coming towards him down the aisle on Arthur's arm, his mother's Muggle wedding veil flowing behind her. Her eyes were blazing, completely locked on him. For a moment in time, it was just the two of them, no-one else. They had come so far, been through so much to get to this moment and finally, _finally_ it was here.

It was a truly magical wedding. The sun bore down on them as they professed their love for each other and exchanged precious vows in front of their family and chosen friends. His hands shook slightly as he carefully placed the ring on her finger. When it was her turn, she grabbed his hand firmly and confidently slid the ring on his, then brought his left hand to her lips, kissing the band she had just placed there. "Mine now," she winked.

Aunt Muriel tskd and shook her head, even as she dabbed her eyes. "She's so open with her affection," she whispered disapprovingly to Molly.

"I know," sniffed Molly, in approval. Next to her, Arthur beamed proudly.

"Harry, you may now kiss your bride," announced Kingsley, officiating as the Minister for Magic.

Harry and Ginny stepped closer together. He framed her face with his hands, and then they kissed passionately...for a really long time. Guests chuckled; their closest friends just nodded – _so Harry and Ginny_ – and they all waited for them to finish.

"Well, really!" gasped Muriel, fanning herself. How inappropriate!

Finally they pulled apart, but only slightly. They leaned their foreheads together, gazing into each other's eyes, as Harry whispered something to her. Kingsley's soft cough made them remember their guests.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my happy duty to introduce to you all – Harry and Ginny Potter."

As the guests stood, Harry and Ginny made their way down the aisle, stopping to thank Molly and Arthur, and Ginny even kissed Aunt Muriel's cheek. Then she raised hers and Harry's joined hands in triumph. "We're married!" she yelled. Laughing, Harry scooped her up and carried her down the aisle.

Later

The wedding and reception was being held at the Burrow, just as Bill's had been. Neither Harry nor Ginny wanted fuss or frills, but every part of the wedding had come from their input. They wanted informal and fun, to be able to circulate amongst their guests.

"Hi, guys" greeted Ginny to a group of their Hogwarts friends – Katie Bell Wood and her husband Oliver, Alicia Spinnet with Lee Jordan, Demelza Robbins, Susan Bones and her partner, Roger Davies " This is my ex boy-friend, Harry Potter."

Harry laughed. "Will you stop introducing me like that? Can't you just say _'husband'?_

"It sounds much more dramatic," teased Ginny, "introducing my ex boyfriend at my wedding." She and Harry sat and joined them, Ginny on Harry's lap.

"Your wedding was lovely," noted Susan. "Harry, when did you know you wanted to marry her, was there a specific moment?"

Harry nodded. "There was this one morning we were just having breakfast together and I looked at her and said, _'you know what I want more than anything? I want to marry you'_."

"Aw," chorused the women.

Ginny nodded. "I had just woken up after a big night out. I didn't look good. That's how I knew he meant it."

They talked some more, then Harry and Ginny left to go and sit with Neville and Hannah, Dean and Seamus, Luna, Ron and Hermione. Again, Ginny was on Harry's lap.

"Your dad was so emotional as he walked you down the aisle," smiled Hermione.

"He was so nervous," admitted Ginny. "He told me he'd been waiting twenty years for this moment and he didn't want to let me down. I told him he could never let me down."

"That's so sweet. What about your mum?" asked Hannah.

Ginny snorted. "Mum came in to help me put Aunt Muriel's tiara on, this was after you two had gone down," she told Hermione and Luna. "It was a very emotional mother and daughter time, but then she tells me, ' _Ginny girl, we Weasley women may be lambs in the kitchen, but we're tigers in the bedroom._ I did not need to hear _that_ moments before I got married," she grinned.

"There's lamb?" sniffed Ron, looking over at the over laden buffet. Hermione nudged him, rolling her eyes.

"I'd say more a lion than a tiger," whispered Harry, " we are Gryffindors, after all." He hugged her around her middle.

Hermione nudged Ron again. "Why don't we do stuff like that?" she asked, pointing at the newlyweds.

"You told me you don't like PDA's, remember?" he asked, but he pulled her onto his lap. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic!" said Hermione, dryly.

They all watched Percy dancing primly with Audrey; Hermione was swaying to the music. She suddenly stopped and looked at Ron. "Do you seriously have an erection right now?" she asked, incredulously.

Ron looked at her like she was thick. "You wanted this."

Hermione stood and walked away, grabbing Charlie to dance with. Ginny muffled her laughter against Harry's shoulder.

"Ginny, your dress is so beautiful," praised Susan, sitting down next to Luna.

"Thank you. Fleur's family are fashion designers and they helped me select it. Mum was a bit hard to convince at first, she wanted me to go more for the traditional robes, but as soon as I put this dress on, I knew it was the one that Harry would want to rip right off me," said Ginny, knowingly.

The dress was sleeveless, showcasing Ginny's toned arms. It had a deep vee at the front and the back of the dress. Ivory in colour, it complimented her skin tones, and nipped in at her small waist before flaring out over her hips. It was fitted and sexy as hell.

Harry ran his hands over her arse in appreciation. "You're not wrong," he said, his eyes focused on the Snitch tattoo on her shoulder.

"Ronald? Ronald Weasley?" they heard someone call out.

"Aunt Muriel always tries to dance with Ron," confided Ginny to the others. To Harry she murmured, "I bet you five galleons that she will succeed by the end of the night."

Harry laughed, having been to a few Weasley weddings now, he knew how determined Aunt Muriel could be. "Well, I bet you ten galleons that he won't be able to hide till midnight."

They resumed talking with their friends, when Harry nudged Ginny. They looked over at the dance floor. "She's spotted him," said Ginny.

"Sooner than we thought," mused Harry.

"Ronald Weasley, come dance with auntie," coaxed Muriel, tipsy.

"Actually, Aunt Muriel, I'm just helping Hermione with something," replied Ron.

"No, he's not," called Hermione, still miffed.

"RONALD?" bellowed Muriel. In resignation, Ron walked over to take Aunt Muriel's hand and lead her out onto the dance floor.

Harry buried his face in Ginny's chest to muffle his laughter.

Much Later

Harry laughed as he watched Ginny dirty dancing with her Harpy team-mates. Charlie and Seamus were trying to join them but the girls were ignoring them. Arthur and Molly were swaying together and all the other Weasley brothers were dancing with their wives. Even Ron and Hermione had made up and were dancing together.

He was having a great time; getting married was so much fun. He supposed they should think about leaving but he really didn't want this night to end. He got up, stumbling slightly, and headed for Hagrid and Minerva Macgonagall. He had several Muggle champagnes under his belt, with all the toasts and such, and they were starting to take effect.

"Hiya," he greeted, gratefully flopping into a chair Hagrid pulled out for him. Filius Flitwick, Madame Hooch and Madame Pomfrey were out, dancing.

"I can't believe yer married, 'arry," sniffed Hagrid. "Sometimes I still think of yer as that young 'un I met on yer eleventh birthday."

Harry looked on as Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand, twirled her, then got down on one knee. "Hermione, would you do me the honour of becoming my sister-in-law?"

Ron burst into the crowd, his face turning a beet red. "Did you just propose to Hermione for me?" he bellowed increduously,

Hermione helped Ginny up; both ladies laughing hysterically; drunkenly. "Someone had to do it, Ron!" hooted Bill.

Ron's face turned purple, although Harry supposed it could be a trick of the party lights. Hermione grabbed his arm and lead him off the dance floor.

Ginny twirled with Luna for a bit, then looked for Harry. "I've lost my husband," she cried.

"I'm here, Mrs Potter," waved Harry. He tried to get up but stumbled, in the end deciding she could come to him.

"Hi," she announced, plopping down on his lap again. "Hi," she greeted everyone else. Her former professors greeted her in reply.

George came over and sat with them. "All right, Minnie, time to 'fess up. Potter here was always your favourite, wasn't he?"

Minerva had been thoroughly enjoying her evening, at this very happy occasion. She rolled her eyes. "I am always accused of having a favourite student. I can assure you, Mr Weasley, it is simply nor true." She winked at Harry. "I like Potters and non-Potters equally."

George howled with laughter. Harry did finger guns at his old professor.

"Hey," yelled Ginny, "that's me, I'm a Potter now, woo hoo!" A few people nearby applauded.

Harry leaned up to whisper in her ear. "What do you say, Mrs Potter, that we leave to begin our honeymoon. I believe I have a dress to rip off you," he teased, kissing her.

"Then it's definitely time to go," decided Ginny, standing. "Hey you lot, we're leaving."

Due to the music, nobody but those closest to them heard. "Go, Gin, Harry, I'll cover for you," offered George. He stood and kissed his sister's cheek, then turned to Minerva. "Minnie, what do you say we take a spin around the dance floor?"

"Mr Weasley, I'd be delighted. Mr and Mrs Potter, my very best wishes to you both," she said, as Harry helped her out her seat and George took her hand to lead her out on the dance floor.

"You look after 'im now, Ginny," advised Hagrid, emotionally. He had enjoyed the wedding immensely.

"I will, Hagrid, I promise," she vowed, her arms around Harry's waist

"I've never seen him happier," noted Hagrid, with a nod at Harry, who flushed and smiled. "You deserve it, the both of yer. Now go, before Molly spots you," he advised, waving them away.

They looked around; sure enough, Molly was scanning the crowd. "What do you say, Mrs Potter, shall we make a run for it?" dared Harry.

Ginny kicked off her shoes and, with eyes blazing once again, she looked at Harry. "Let's do it," she nodded. She quickly kissed Hagrid on the cheek then took her husband's hand.

Laughing, half drunk, they ran off, hand in hand, disappearing into the night. Once they hit the Apparation point, Hagrid heard the slight crack, letting him know they had gone.

Hagrid smiled and swayed in time to the music. Yes, the wedding of Harry James Potter to Ginevra Molly Weasley was something very special, indeed.


	16. Chapter 16 Training

Harry had always been on the small side when it came to size. Not so much his height, but definitely his build. Years of being underfed and overworked by the Dursleys had certainly been the cause. By the time he began at Hogwarts, his stomach couldn't handle too much food, although he ate better and, more importantly, frequently. Then nearly a year on the run with the Horcrux hunt had set him back again, as his growing body was starved for necessary nutrients.

After deciding not to return to Hogwarts but to take up Kinglsey's offer to begin his Auror career, Harry realised that being thin did not mean he was fit. He had good stamina though and his instincts and wandwork were probably his best qualities. But he suffered through some of the more physical work, and was told he needed to get fitter.

The Auror gym soon became his second home, and he often stayed back after his work day was done to work out more. With Ginny at Hogwarts and Teddy on a schedule with Andromeda, he had plenty of free time, and was pleased when he started to see his body change. So did Ginny and unfortunately, so did the press. The public fascination with the Potters never went away. Even in his later years, everything from his longish hair – which he mostly wore these days in a man bun – to his children, to him watching his wife play Quidditch, was commented on.

Both his and Ginny's chosen careers required them both to be at peak physical health, so they changed their diets too. As their teen years left and they became adults, they were both fitter and stronger than ever. Being fit certainly helped Ginny with her pregnancies, and would also help both Harry and Ginny to recover faster when they were injured in the line of their work.

As he moved up the ranks as an Auror, he continued to work out, taking pride in his lean, muscled body. He was often called upon to help spar with the newest Auror trainees, as they were beginning to incorportate more Muggle procedures and tactics into the new Aurors coming through, and Harry was very involved in that. Most of the newbies had stars in their eyes about training with him, but he soon put paid to that on their very first day with some well chosen comments, reminding them that he was as human as the rest of them. After that, if they still found themselves a little hero-struck, he'd soon get stuck into them, making them question if they had made the right career decision. Most, if not all, soon learned that Harry meant what he said. They were a team, and had to rely on each other, sometimes in life and death situations. They needed to know they could count on each other. Harry was an Auror, same as them. He hated being singled out because of his name, and that never changed.

He liked working with the trainees, it reminded him of the days of the DA. He was often called on to help when the trainees were going through their final physical exams, as the heads of the department watched on from above in a viewing platform, giving them a great overall view as they discussed individual strenghs and weaknesses, as well as teamwork.

On this particular day, Harry had worked out in the gym during his lunch hour before he worked with a group of trainees. He had a quick shower and slid on an old pair of comfortable jeans, knowing he would be getting all sweaty again quite soon. He decided to forgo a top, instead, his Deathly Hallows necklace rested on his chest. It had been old Xeno Lovegood's once, and upon his death, Luna had gifted it to him, saying they had been as important in life to Harry as they had been to her father. Realising the sentiment behind the gift, Harry accepted it and wore it.

He walked to the training room, happy to see the newbies there already, some still looking nervous. He set them to warming up, and walked around. To his surprise, the viewing gallery was full. Was that the secretary from Hermione's office? And sitting next to her, was that the Welcome Witch who did the afternoon shift? And the wizard from the Portkey office, who had smiled at him just this morning as they rode the elevator together? A flash of light made him blink.

"Er, what's that about?" he asked his personal assistant, Brenda. She recorded all the workouts, challenges and spellwork he used, so he knew to try them out with something different next time.

Brenda smiled knowingly. "I think they're here to watch."

"Watch what?" He just didn't understand why random people would want to watch him training the new Aurors; but it was damn annoying.

"Er...you." She gestured to his body. "They say you're all that and a bag of chips." She flushed as his eyes narrowed. As her personal leanings were for her same sex, she didn't understand the appeal, but she found it quite amusing that Harry was so unaware of his sex appeal.

"Right," he roared. "Anybody here _not_ from the Auror office, please get the fuck out. Thanks."

He shot those in the viewing area a withering look, crossed his arms over his chest and waited. He would _not_ start till they had all immediately stood and hurried out. The wizard from the elevator may or may not have been crying, Harry wasn't sure.

Harry nodded when they had all gone, and looked at Brenda. "Do _not_ tell my wife that happened," he told her, "or anyone whose name ends in Weasley. They'll take the piss, for sure."

Brenda nodded, already familiar with the Potter-Weasley habit of pranking each other, having been caught up in it herself simply because she worked with Harry.

Next morning, as he sat down for breakfast, he took a sip of coffee and picked up the paper. He very quickly spat the coffee out, as he saw his half naked body on the front page of the paper. _'Potter's Pecs!_ read the headline. Glancing over the top of the paper, he saw Ginny grinning at him. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off, pointing his finger at her.

"Not one word," he warned her.

She got up out of her chair and walked around to his side, her arms encircling his neck "Not even – yum?" She kissed his cheek.

Harry snorted, then gasped as his photo self began to undo his jeans and slide them down slowly over his hips and -

"Oy, enough," cried Harry, and his photo self stopped, and started again.

"He's such a tease, that's what he does for me every time I look at the paper," chuckled Ginny, blowing photo Harry a kiss.

"Why would you need to look at it, when I'm right here?" he asked, dragging her onto his lap. He nuzzled her neck. "I'm the real thing."

"I wonder what he does when Ron and George, or Mum and Dad look at him," wondered Ginny, aloud.

He groaned. "They're never going to let me forget this, are they?" .

"Nope, sorry love...and I don't think the wizarding world will, either," qupped Ginny.

And they didn't!


	17. Chapter 17 Pregnant

They had talked about starting a family soon, but only in the vaguest sense. Ginny was at the height of her career, having just played in the successful World Cup, and Harry had already been told he was being ear marked to take over as head of the Auror department one day.

It was Molly who had suggested it was time to think about starting a family. Ginny had laughed it off, suggesting Molly had grandchildren on the brain, what with the recent birth of Molly, her namesake, and the announcement that Angelina was pregnant. But it had started Harry thinking, and he brought it up with Ginny a day or two later.

He understood Ginny's feelings, after all, she was the one most affected if and when she fell pregnant. But Ginny also understood that Harry's deepest desire was for a family of his own, and seeing him with Teddy left her in no doubt he would make a brilliant father. So, with the agreement that she would resume her career after the birth, they agreed to start trying.

He'd later brag it was his superior Potter sperm, while she would claim it was her Weasley genes that did the trick, but surprisingly, they must have fallen pregnant fairly easily. Of course, they were both completely unaware at first but, after several classic symptoms that went on too long to be considered anything else, Ginny finally went to St Mungo's for a test. When it came back positive, she wondered the best way to tell Harry. She wanted to make it memorable.

She hadn't counted on Harry guessing, or that he had suspected it for a week or so. After all he probably knew her body as well as she did, and he _had_ noticed several physical changes. But when his wife, Ginny _Firewhiskey_ Potter, turned down every alcoholic beverage offered to her at the reception for the World Cup team, he dared to hope his dreams had come true.

When Ginny confirmed it, he knew a happiness he never thought existed. A family of his very own, another generation of Potters. He delighted in Ginny's changing body and accompanied her to every appointment. They talked about finding a new home but decided to wait till after the baby's birth. The names were fairly easy to pick out, as were the godparents. And finally two became three and they were a family.

The second time was slightly different.

With Harry's blessing and Molly's help, Ginny resumed her career with the Harpies. The season started off well but mid season they seemed to fall into a slump, Ginny included. She had a couple of games where she just couldn't focus as sharply as she had done in the past; not wanting to admit to feeling some light headedness. Her body felt sluggish, making her reflexes slower. Her critics were delighted, suggesting she couldn't cope with motherhood _and_ professional Quidditch, something Ginny took to heart.

And then she'd been hit with the Bludger...and woken up in St Mungo's, Harry by her side.

"Hey," he greeted softly, as she turned enquiring eyes to his. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got it with a Bludger," she replied weakly. "Where's James?"

"At the Burrow. Great match." He was still in his Harpies jumper.

Ginny grimaced, her face pale against the white pillow. "I was a piece of shit," she said, gently touching the bandage on her head.

"Come on, what's Quidditch without some broken bones?" he teased.

Ginny reached for him, brushing some hair off his forehead. "You really don't know, do you?" she asked, amused. She picked up a drawing that Harry had placed on her bed, it was a get well card from 7 year old Teddy and nearly one year old James.

"They want to keep you in tonight for observation," said Harry.

Ginny pulled a face, but acceded. "Fine. My head is throbbing. Kiss Teddy and James for me," she made him promise.

He nodded and left to go get James. Not long after, a healer came into Ginny's room. "Mrs Potter. Some of the test results have come back. Congratulations, you're pregnant."

"I'm what now?" asked Ginny, sure she must have heard wrong. She had come in for a Quidditch injury and would be leaving with so much more!

The healer chuckled, thinking she was joking. "We're going to give you some nurtients for the baby, they'll make you feel better too."

"Great, wonderful, yeah, give me everything you've got," said Ginny, stunned.

She was released the next morning; both Harry and James coming to collect her. She was teary when she took James from Harry, and held his small, warm, squirmy body in her arms. She had no idea how she was going to tell Harry she was pregnant again, in fact, she was pretty sure she would just blurt it out when they arrived home.

He ushered her upstairs for a shower; how wonderful it was to be home. She took her time, showering – _yes, her breasts were tender_ – dressing – _yes, her jeans were a bit tighter than a week ago, better make it sweatpants_ – and headed downstairs to her boys.

Harry had told James he was making a late breakfast for mummy, and James wanted to help. "Jamesy, what shall we make for Mummy?" asked Harry, standing at the kitchen bench.

"Choc-lit," said James, decisively. He was standing on a step stool, eager to help.

"Good lad, yes, Mummy loves chocolate. What else?" asked Harry, enjoying this time with his son

"Cheese 'n apple." James hopped off the stool and went to grab an apple from the bowl. Returning to his stool, he handed it to his daddy, watching keenly as Harry cut it up.

"Is that it?"

"Beans. Mummy loves beans."

"Which flavour?"

"All of 'em. It's a surprise!"

"Mummy _will_ be surprised," chuckled Harry, letting James mix it all together with a large spoon. He looked up as Ginny entered the kitchen.

"Mum, mum, mum, mum, mum," chanted James, giggling when Ginny kissed his cheek and blew a raspberry. He watched as his mummy kissed his daddy.

"Come sit, James and me made you breakfast," grinned Harry.

Ginny sat down, her mind still on how she was going to tell Harry her news. She looked down at the bowl Harry placed in front of her, the contents a swirl of unappealing colours. Her stomach heaved.

"Mum, mum, mum, mum," continued James, standing next to her chair. _'I wonder what this baby will look like,'_ she wondered, as she took a spoonful under her son's watchful gaze.

She took another bite, trying to keep this one down. "You're eating it." Harry looked on in surprise and amusement.

"My son is looking," murmured Ginny, stirring the contents. _Nope, that didn't help_. Ginny smiled at James as she took another mouthful. "Mmmmm," she moaned, trying to keep the contents down.

James jumped up and down in excitement. Ginny shot a look at Harry. "I want to throw up now, but it's only because I'm pregnant again..." She looked down at her son, "not because of this yummy breakfast, James. Mmmmm." Her smile was reassuring at James, and she was completely oblivious to Harry's stunned look. "It's better than Uncle Ron's pie."

"Won-won, won-won," chanted James.

"Gin?"

Ginny pushed the bowl away. "I can't...I just can't eat anymore." She pulled James onto her lap and he reached for the bowl, picking bits out with his fingers and smearing it over the table.

"Gin...you're pregnant?"

Ginny looked up from cuddling James, to Harry. She realised what she had just said. She smiled weakly.

"Surprise!"


	18. Chapter 18 Scowling

Harry scowled at his reflection in the mirror. "Stupid tie," muttered, his hands at his throat as he undid the unco-operative article of clothing. "Stupid Ministry, having _another_ stupid function."

"Talking to yourself, Harry?" called Ginny, from their bedroom.

"Do we really need to go to this thing tonight?" he called back in reply. "I've just spent all day there, and now I have to go back." He realised he sounded just like Teddy, whining about going to school.

Ginny leaned against the door jamb, watching him. "You know we're going to support Hermione and Charlie tonight. Her department is raising funds for the dragon sanctuarys."

His reflection in the mirror scowled at her. "Can't we just make a donation and stay home. I can think of a lot of better things we could be doing tonight, most of them right there in our bedroom." His gaze turned hopeful.

"We promised Hermione and Ron we'd be there," reminded Ginny, "but I do like the way you think. What about...?" She wandered into the bathroom and made short work of fixing his tie. "We stay for two, two and a half hours, three tops," she said.

"How about one, one and a half, two hours, top," bargained Harry, sliding his hands to her waist. Her black dress was form fitting, showcasing her slender, toned figure.

"You _know_ everyone there will want to speak to you, Harry, we'd never get away in just an hour or two...and don't distract me," she grinned, slapping his hands away.

"Two hours and I'm getting us out of there. As much as I love that dress on you, I'd rather see it on the bedroom floor," he teased, taking in his gorgeous and oh so sexy wife.

"Remember our strategy, Harry. Arrive early, circulate separately so we talk to as many people as we can, then we leave," said Ginny, checking her make-up and hair in the mirror. "And that does not mean you hang out with Ron near the bar all night," she warned. She patted his cheek and left to return to the bedroom.

The scowl reappeared on Harry's face.

~OO~

He managed to keep Ginny by his side for the first twenty minutes they were there. They posed together for photos upon their arrival, then together went to greet Hermione and hand over a bank draft. Then Ginny was called away and Harry spotted Ron by the bar.

Mindful of Ginny, he and Ron drifted over to George and Angelina and then were joined by Oliver Wood. Harry then got called away by some of his Auror workmates, and talk soon turned to a recent case.

Occasionally he'd hear Ginny's throaty laughter from one group or another; he admired her ability to meet strangers and immediately find some common ground to talk about. Of course, there were a lot of questions about her Quidditch career but Ginny could only tolerate that for a short while. And she would _ALWAYS_ deflect any too-personal questions regarding Harry and their personal lives.

Every now and then their eyes would meet – _lust filled, he was sure_ – and their paths would cross, and they'd take a minute to check in with the other. "All right?" she'd ask.

He'd nod. "All right with you?" and she'd nod. They'd give each other _that_ look, and keep moving on.

The first hour had gone quickly, the second hour was agony. Harry looked for Ginny, not happy to see her laughing with the captain of the Appleby Arrows, Carson Montomery, a fellow Chaser and way too blonde and good looking for Harry's liking. He headed for them, but from over Montgomery's shoulder, Ginny spotted him and excused herself, meeting him half way.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You look worried."

He shrugged, not wanting to admit his jealous tendencies. "I'm ready to go," he told her.

"Harry," she sighed, "not yet. Hermione is giving a speech very soon. We need to stay...and pay attention, please. You know she'll ask us our thoughts about it later."

He placed an arm around her waist. "I'd rather give you attention...in our bed. You look so fucking sexy tonight. I want to take you home, get that dress right off you and – "

"Harry? Harry, my boy, it is you!" Horace Slughorn's voice boomed, making people look around. His arms were open wide as he headed straight for them.

Ginny shot him a commiserating look. "We'll finish this talk later, my boy." She slipped something into his hand. "Something to think about," she winked and disappeared into the crowd.

He looked down, seeing the purple silky knickers she had been wearing crushed into a ball in his hand.

"Harry, there you are," cried Horace, greeting him.

Harry shoved the knickers into his pocket and scowled once more. _Stupid Ministry function_

 _*Did you know blvnk has a nsfw blog on tumbler too? Check out and go to Ao3 to my page there (Pottermum) to find out what happened after Hermione's speech! Blvnk drew it, I wrote it, enjoy!_


	19. Chapter 19 Leaving

_*This one is for Cally!_

Harry buttoned his Auror shirt, grimacing at the bite marks near his throat. He and Ginny had fucked hard last night, and she'd left marks on him – he was relieved he couldn't see the scratch marks that were sure to be on his back.

He'd woken early, close to sunrise, today's mission on his mind. He must have tossed and turned quite a bit, trying to get back to sleep, for he had woken Ginny. An early morning kiss and cuddle had led to them making love this morning. And he'd fallen back asleep after.

A glance at his watch told him he had just enough time; he knew Ginny wouldn't let him be late. He could hear the shower going and, as much as he'd like to join her, he knew the two of them could be in there for ages, together.

He stood and dressed in his Auror uniform and after a quick check of the weather outside, he added his Auror jacket. He heard the shower stop and the door open, however, Ginny didn't return to their bedroom.

He finished doing up his Auror jacket and glanced at the clock again. He barely had five minutes till he absolutely had to go.

It should be a standard stake out mission, three days, four tops. Their informant had been reliable thus far. Harry's just glad Ginny doesn't make their goodbyes emotional, though. They both know they will miss the other, and they both know they will be here when the other returns, whether it be an Auror mission or an away Quidditch match. It had been like that since Ginny finished Hogwarts, and would be like that till the very end. They knew each other so well.

He heard Ginny humming, so he gathered she was brushing her teeth, a cute little quirk of hers. He picked up his duffle bag and left it on the bed, then went down the hall to the bathroom. "Morning, wife," he quipped.

She held up one finger, indicating one moment, then leaned over the sink and spat out. "Husband," she acknowledged.

She wore only her emerald green bra and knickers, his favourite. He came to her, one arm around her shoulder. She leaned back against him. "I need to go," he said.

"I know you do," she replied evenly.

He pulled away slightly. "Really? Not a single tear? Why aren't you begging me to stay?" he teased, knowing she would never.

She chuckled, resting her head against his heart. "We've fucked all night and now you're really are being annoying...and romantic."

He grinned; she did too. Their eyes met in the mirror. "I love you, my beautiful wife," he whispered in her ear.

She pushed him away, her hand lingering on his chest. "Do NOT come back until you send those assholes to Azkaban."

He nodded and left her there, grabbing his bag and going downstairs. He had just picked up a handful of Floo powder when she called out, "Love you too, husband."

Grinning, he threw the Floo powder down, stepped in, and in a whirl of green flames, he was gone.


	20. Chapter 20 Proposal

Harry and Ginny were laying on a big comfortable bed. She was reading the paper, while he was munching his way through a pack of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans. Maybe not the most nutritious thing to eat so early in the morning, but hey, they were on holidays! No Molly or Kreacher to nag – _lovingly, of course_ – and no Harpies trainers fixating on protein and carb values or whether Ginny had gained a half a kilo this week.

This was their first big holiday away together. Oh, they'd done plenty of weekend bed and breakfasts and hotel rooms, mostly when Ginny had an away match. Or they'd simply told their friends and family they were going away, then holed up alone at Grimmauld Place. But now that Ginny's second season with the Harpies was over, and he was a fully qualified Auror, they'd decided to spread their wings and go international.

They'd debated for ages about where to go for their week away-Greece, Spain, Italy, Fiji? In the end they had settled for Paris. To Fleur's delight, they came to her for advice and she arranged for them to stay in her parent's guest cottage, affording them the privacy they desired and the knowledge they were staying somewhere trusted.

They'd arrived two days ago, and spent that afternoon in the Delacour's pool, lazily splashing each other and floating on giant plastic lounges as they sipped cocktails. They'd joined Fleur's parents for an early dinner, then retired to their cottage, where they'd fucked loudly all night.

They'd spent the day yesterday doing a lot of the usual touristy things, the museums, the cafe's, the Eiffel Tower. Simply strolling hand in hand with Ginny, in dark glasses and a cap pulled down over his eyes,may have been taking caution to the extreme, but he really wanted to not be bothered by the whole _'Harry Potter'_ nonsense on their break.

Still, he got the sense a couple of times that he might have been recognised, and once, a young girl approached them, parchment and quill in her hand, but it turned out she wanted _Ginny's_ autograph, being a fan of the Harpies. Ginny had smirked at him over the gir's head as she signed the blank parchment for her fan, Bianca.

Yep, life was good. Here he was, on holiday in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with his beautiful girlfriend, and he was having a blast. Tomorrow they were visiting Euro Disney, and he planned to buy lots of toys for Teddy, Victoire and the newest addition, Molly.

But for now, he and Ginny were relaxing in bed, deciding what to do that day. Fleur had given them a list of suggestions, and the Delacours had given advice too. They'd woken, made love, showered and gone back to bed. Ginny had managed to put on her bra, knickers and socks before she grabbed the paper, did a translation spell on it, and lay down next to him, albeit with her head near his feet, and her feet propped up on the bedhead.

"Ugh, ear wax again," shuddered Harry, trying to quickly decided to swallow it or spit it out. He looked for a nearby bin.

"Huh," said Ginny, engrossed in the paper.

He looked at her. "I really hate ear wax, and that's my fourth one. Do you think it's a delicacy in France? You know, like snails?"

"Ah-huh," muttered Ginny. "Harry?"

"Mmmm?" he replied, rifling through the bag of lollies.

"I think you got married," she said.

He snorted. "To you, I hope."

"Actually, to a woman named Gwen Wollowitz," read Ginny, "but if that's what you

want, I won't say no." They had used the names Howard and Gwen Wollowitz on their Portkey application.

The silence was loud, apart from the rustling of the paper. They had not spoken of engagements or marriage or children for awhile, always feeling it was going to happen someday. _Well_ , thought Harry, _maybe someday was today._

"Do you mean it?" he asked, trying to sound cool and nonchalant, while inside his chest monster was purring in hope.

Her hand shot out. "Let me taste another bean," she said.

He rooted around the bag, hoping she didn't get an ear wax one. "Mmm, strawberries and cream," she crooned.

He grabbed a bean that looked like the same one he gave Ginny, and popped it in his mouth. He grimaced...cabbage, yuck!

"For the record, Harry, when anyone asks us how you proposed to me, please let me tell the story," she teased, swinging around to mirror him.

"What, isn't all this enough?" he taunted, gesturing at the bed.

She closed her eyes. "Sssh. In my mind, we're on a tropical island, just the two of us. You popped the question in the moonlight. I said yes, with tears in my eyes, and we kissed gently, then danced to the sound of _'Magic Heals'_ , the old classic by the _Blithering Brumbies'._ " She opened her eyes and looked at him.

He looked amused. "Merlin, who knew _I_ could be so romantic? Just one flaw in your story, love. All our friends and family know I'm shite at dancing...and romance."

She rolled over to her side, facing him. "I know some activities you're very good at," she purred.

He rolled over to face her. "And what might those be, Gin?"

She trailed a finger down his cheek, down his adam's apple and across his chest. "Flying. Cooking," she grinned. "Fucking."

"So the bare necessities of life," he said, his fingers reaching out to brush her hair behind her ear.

"And I happen to think you're very romantic," she protested, cuddling closer. "In your own, unique way."

"Potter style," he agreed.

Her lips found his skin, his chest, his abdomen and, before he knew it, she had disappeared under the covers. He closed his eyes in ecstasy as her mouth got busy.

They shot open a second later when the whole last few minutes of their conversation caught up with his brain.

Married! He and Ginny were going to be married! He'd never given any thought to how he would propose, but now it was done, although, thinking back, he agreed that Ginny should tell her version of events when people asked. But she had said yes, well, technically she had said she wouldn't say no. That still counted...no take backs. Thank Merlin he and Arthur had had that chat awhile ago.

He arched into her mouth. "Fuck, I'm going to love being married to you," he groaned.

"Yeah, you are," she muttered before concentrating on the job at hand.

An hour later, as they both lay panting, he apologised. "I'm sorry for the way I proposed."

"Don't be silly. It was perfect," she admonished.

"No, the island, the moonlight, the dancing...that's a perfect proposal," he corrected.

She shrugged. "For every one else, maybe. I happen to think your proposal was just perfect...for us. We're not like everyone else, you know."

"I know," he agreed. "We're weird."

"Damn straight. The _Weird Potters,_ they'll call us," she teased.

He hugged her tight. "My wife," he said.

She looked at him, and he explained. "Just trying it on for size. Feels good to say it – _my wife._ Mrs Potter. Mrs Ginny Potter." It felt bloody brilliant.

She smirked. "Ten galleons Hermione hyphenates her name if and when those two ever get married."

"I'm not taking that bet," he said, shaking his head.

"Soooo," drawled Ginny, as he picked up the half empty packed of Bertie Botts beans and she picked up the paper. "What _are_ we going to do today?" A glance at the clock told her it was nearly lunch time. "Shall we go to another cafe for lunch, feed that sweet tooth of yours."

"Anything my fiancee desires," he agreed, popping another bean in his mouth. "Damnit!" he spat it out and she giggled.

Alas, ear wax again.


	21. Chapter 21 Tales

Harry sat on James' bed, reading quietly. Albus, 1 ½ , in the bed across the room, was already asleep but James usually took a lot longer. He hated going to bed, sure he was going to miss out on something fun, something exciting. He'd usually require three or four stories, would correct you if you tried to gloss over part of the story, and make you start again. But one minute he'd be talking to you, the next minute he'd be out like a good Nox spell.

Harry had already read _The Wizard and the Hopping Pot_ to him after Albus fell asleep, and now they were nearing the end of _Babbity Rabbit and her Cackling Stump._

"Babbity hopped out of the grounds and far away, and ever after a golden statue of the washerwoman stood upon the tree stump, and no witch or wizard was ever persecuted in the kingdom again," finished Harry,and shut the book.

He looked down at his firstborn son. His eyes were definitely heavier, even as they focused on the book in Harry's hands. Small hands reached out to touch the book.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, James?" asked Harry, softly. He sensed his son was going to fall asleep any second now.

"Book is broken," he replied sleepily.

Harry chuckled. He'd thought the very same thing when he'd come across the book in the Potter vaults shortly after the war. But there had been an inscription inside, an explanation really, as if his mother had known he'd want to know why the cover on the book was on the wrong way.

"Do you know, James, this is the very book my mum used to read to me when I was little, even Albus' age," commented Harry.

"Your mummy read to you too?" asked James, eyes struggling to stay open.

Harry nodded, running his hands over the precious book. "Yes, she did. This book was actually given to my dad from _his_ dad, so that would be your great grandfather. When my parents moved to Godric's Hollow, the book, this book, got damaged, so my dad tried to repair it. Only, he couldn't fix the cover so he tried to use special magic to make another cover for it."

"Special magic?" asked James, now more interested. He struggled to stay awake.

Harry tucked him in, nodding. "Yes. He spent all night trying to replicate the cover, and in the morning he showed my mum. She was really proud of him, but she did point out one mistake. He put the cover on the wrong way," explained Harry. It was true, the title was on the back, and the synopsis of the book was on the front.

"Your daddy was a silly daddy," joked James, as he yawned.

"Yes, I think he was," agreed Harry, " but you know what?

He looked down at James, only to find his son sound asleep. "I reckon he was a pretty great dad," whispered Harry, to himself. He ran his hands over the book once again, then put it on the boy's book shelf and left the room.

To his surprise, Ginny was waiting out in the hall. "Tales of Beedle the Bard again?" she asked.

He nodded. "James asked me about the book cover."

Ginny smiled a sad smile. "I like it, it makes it quirky. It's a family treasure, are you sure you want to leave it in the boy's room?"

Harry nodded. "It's something that came from my parents and my grandparents. It's all the boys have of them, really."

Ginny hugged him and he rested his head against hers. She said softly. "I wonder if Sirius ever read any stories to you when you were little."

Harry fondly remembered his godfather. "I'm sure he did."

Many Years Ago

Lily cuddled nine month old Harry on her lap as she read from the copy of _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ that James father, Fleamont had given them. She liked this quiet time with her and her precious son. He was too little to follow the words, but he liked to hold the book and look at the pictures.

Sirius sat next to her; he and James had just returned from an Order meeting. James had stopped to grab a drink and make a sandwich, but Sirius had come in to visit with his godson.

Lily smiled at him, but kept reading. " - and to perform the King's spell for him, without his knowledge. Babbity agreed to the plan, but asked one question. _'What sir, if the King attempts a spell that Babbity cannot perform?'_ The charleton sco-"

"Hey, Sirius, could you give me a ha-" called James from the kitchen.

"Shut up, Prongs," interrupted Sirius, his hand outstretched. "Something important is going to happen to Babbity Rabbitty," he called. He indicated to Lily that she should continue.

"The charleton scoffed..." Lily continued the story, Sirius listening intently as Harry patted the pages. James leaned against the door jamb, watching his family.

He wondered if one day his son would read these stories to his own son or daughter.

 _*This is a recent artwork from Blvnk's Jily collection, and the story of the faulty book cover is her headcanon._


	22. Chapter 22 Lily Luna

He should have gone straight home from work, for he knew the boys were a handful for both he _and_ Ginny, let alone just one of them. How Ginny coped day to day with them _and_ Quidditch was beyond him. But he hadn't seen Ron and Hermione for ages, and Ron had owled him earlier, saying the same and asking him to pop over for a drink after work. Harry had owled back in agreement, but saying he could only stay for an hour, maximum. He'd firecalled home to let Ginny know, and she'd said it was fine. Both boys, at that time, were miraculously were down for an afternoon nap, and she planned to join them.

Hermione, only recently returned to work now Rose was eighteen months old, wasn't even home when he got there, but Ron, who had chosen to stay home with Rose and any other children they may have while his wife worked, was eager for adult conversation about anything other than magical creatures or law enforcement.

Rose had just been bathed while Harry was there, and he was amused, if not admired, at how adept his best friend was, able to multi-task a conversation with Harry even as he changed Rose's nappy, got her some food and fed her while she was in his lap. When she was done, he handed her over to Harry.

"There you go, go to Uncle Harry," he crooned.

Harry happily took his goddaughter. She was only a couple of months older than his second son, Albus so handling the little ones held no fear.

"Isn't she brilliant?" asked Ron, proudly. "I love her to bits. There's just something about a daughter, you know? Oh, no, I guess you don't," he rambled. He looked at his daughter. "Rosie, show Uncle Harry how well you can say the alphabet. A?"

"Bah," said Rose, playing with her godfather's watch. She leant down, trying to fit it into her mouth.

"Well, B is close to A, clever Rosie. She'd got another tooth coming in, too," praised Ron. He looked at Harry. "Going to be as smart as Hermione, I reckon. How's Ginny and your boys?"

Harry recalled Ginny and himself finding James just yesterday, standing on the counter in the kitchen, opening all the cupboards and eating some homemade jam straight out of the jar. Meanwhile, Albus sat on the floor, in a cloud of flour, looking like a ghost, his emerald eyes lighting up as he saw his daddy.

A handful? Exhausting? What the bloody hell were we thinking, having kids? So many random thoughts came to his mind. "They're good," he finally said.

"Ron? Ronald, are you there?" called Hermione.

"That's Hermione, calling from the Floo. Be right back," said Ron, getting up and going to the kitchen.

Harry turned Rose around so she was sitting, facing him. "Hello, Rosie Posie," he said softly, ticking her.

She lunged for him, little arms around his neck. He patted her back; she was so delicate. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Her open mouth kiss on his cheek and her head tucking into his shoulder made his heart skip a beat, and he knew, right then, he wanted a daughter.

Merlin, what would Ginny say? Laugh, cry, banish him to the sofa, have him carted off to share Lockhart's room? A third child? Was he crazy?

But a daughter? Sweet, soft, delicate, like his nieces. Or would she be a mini Ginny, maybe? Strong willed, stubborn, fierce. He didn't care.

"You going to Ginny's match tomorrow?" asked Ron, returning. "Hermione says hi, by the way."

Harry nodded. "The boys love watching Ginny play. James says he's going to fly for the Harpies one day."

"But they're an all girls team," protested Ron.

"Yeah, well, we don't want to smash his dreams at only three, Ron," said Harry, dryly. He stood, cradling Rose. "I really should go. Tell Hermione hi back, we'll see you soon." He handed Rose back to Ron.

"Say bye bye to Uncle Harry, Rosie," coaxed Ron.

"Bah," gurgled Rose. Ron cocked his head proudly at Harry as if to say _'did you hear that?'_

He'd stayed later than planned. Albus was already asleep and Ginny was reading to James. His firstborn became wide awake when he saw his dad, and he now wanted _Harry_ to read to him, right from the beginning.

Ginny tiredly handed the book over. "Tag, you're it," she grinned, and left him to it.

When James finally fell asleep he stood looking down at his son, and did the same for Albus, across the hall. He loved his sons with all his being, would do anything for them, to make them happy and safe. But there was a tiny, miniscule space in his heart that was waiting to be filled, and it was growing bigger the more he thought about it. Just big enough for a daughter.

Nearly an hour later he went downstairs, looking for his wife. The house was much tidier now than when he first arrived home, and he could hear Ginny moving around in the kitchen.

She was finishing up the dishes, trying not to yawn. "James is asleep...finally. Only two trips to the bathroom, once for a drink of water then once to wee, so he should be good for the night. Albus is snoring lightly. I think, whatever you did with them today totally knocked them out," he told her.

Ginny yawned. "Why don't you go to bed? Did you get a chance to take a nap today?" he asked her, wondering if a daughter of the two of them would look more like James or Albus.

They both sat at the table. "Couldn't sleep. Two babies...I'm exhausted. And I have a big game tomorrow." She yawned again, her chin propped up on her hand, her eyes closed.

"Let's have another baby," he blurted out.

She didn't even open her eyes. "Sure."

He thought fast. "You can pick the names this time," he offered.

"Great solution, Harry, thanks," she said dryly. She yawned again.

" Come on, let's get you to bed," he said, standing and helping her up. With his arm around her waist, he helped her up the stairs and even undressed her. She pressed her lips to his skin, mumbling her thanks.

And things progressed quickly from there.

Later that night.

Harry lay on his side, his hand stroking Ginny's back lightly. She lay on her tummy, and he watched the Snitch tattoo darting around her back, teasing him. They were both still breathing hard from their latest round of love making.

"I must be out of my mind," muttered Ginny.

"And apparantly not _that_ exhausted," he quipped.

"Three kids under five, we must be crazy," she groaned. "I'm going to need more help around here."

He leaned in to kiss her shoulder. "The boys will be older and I'll have more regular hours. Besides, our daughter will be an angel."

"Daughter? That's what you want? Did Rose get to you tonight?" teased Ginny. She knew he was a sucker for all their nieces and was their favourite uncle.

He shrugged. "Healthy baby and healthy you is all I want. But I've got a good feeling about this."

He was proven correct when, nine months later, his red faced daughter was placed in his arms. "Hello, Lily, I'm your daddy," he greeted softly, just as he had done with his two sons on their arrival.

She opened her eyes, blinked and closed them again. Harry's heart swelled with love, with a fierce desire to protect, as he had once done with Ginny, years ago. His daughter was here; his family was complete.

And Harry's heart was finally full.


	23. Chapter 23 Party

All taken from 'it's-hp-bitch incorrect quotes. Ginny and Hermione may seem a bit OOC.

Ginny Weasley was bouncing on all fours, excited for the night ahead. "Come on, Harry, stop with the study, _nerd,_ it's nearly time to go."

Harry Potter looked at his excitable girlfriend. "All I have to do is grab a jumper when Ron and Hermione get here in about," – he checked the clock – " twenty more minutes."

"Isn't there anything else we could be doing, maybe even twice, in twenty minutes," she teased.

Harry smiled affectionately at his live-in girlfriend. "Yes, we could, but then I'd be naked and have to get dressed again. And my also naked girlfriend would yell at me for making us late to the party. So I'm going to study for a little bit more." He pulled his Auror manuel closer, he had his final exams next week, then, if he passed, he would be a fully fledged Auror.

"Fine," huffed Ginny, and walked away. "Nerd," she muttered, under her breath.

"I heard that," he called.

"I wasn't whispering," she replied in a sing song voice.

Ron and Hermione arrived early, to Ginny's surprise and delight. "What's got you so keen to go?" asked Ron.

"I've just finished a busy season with the Harpies and the only people I've seen the last few months apart from my teammates, is my family. I need to see my friends, see what's going down with the gang, you know?" she joked.

"Well, at least you've seen Harry," reasoned Hermione. "He's the main one you need to see."

Harry looked pleased when Ginny nodded. "Yes, my wonderful, kind, selfless, amazing nerd," she teased.

Harry sighed. "Do you have to call me a nerd so much?" he joked. He pulled his jumper on and helped her with her jacket.

"Hey, I said a lot of other nice things, okay? Toughen up, nerd."

Ron snorted and Hermione looked amused. "Someone's been watching some old American sitcoms on her break, I gather?" she asked Harry, who nodded in amusement. He'd been thrilled to be able to get a televisoon, dvd and stereo player working at Grimmauld Place...but not as thrilled as Ginny and Arthur, who found television and Muggle movies amazing.

Together the four left, heading for the Leaky Cauldron and a catch up with their school mates.

~OO~

It was a private surprise party at the Leaky Cauldron for Luna Lovegood's birthday. Hannah Abbot had procured a private parlour room and a lot of the DA members were expected.

Ginny had dragged Harry around to greet Parvati and Padma; he'd steered her away from Dean Thomas and Seamus and she was currently dancing with Demelza Robbins and Susan Bones.

"Ginny's in fine form tonight," noted Dean, joining him as they waited at the bar for a drink.

Harry grunted something which may or may not have sounded like, _'keep your eyes off her form'_. "She's just happy to see everyone again," he replied coolly.

"Come on, Harry, you know I'm with Shay now. Ginny and me, that was years ago," teased Dean, turning to look at his partner, Seamus Finnegan, who was chatting with a now buff Neville Longbottom.

Harry had, in fact, been told about their relationship by a delighted Ginny, one night after their last get togther with the group. He didn't understand how Dean had gone from Ginny, then Luna to the realisation that he was actually bisexual and in love with his best friend. But all he wanted was for his friends to be happy, so he wished them all the best. "Yeah, er, how's that going?" he asked, for what _can_ one ask when one wasn't sure of the dynamics of their relationship.

Before Dean could respond, Seamus came over, looking half pissed already. "Hey, Harry. Dean, I just had a great idea what we can do tonight," he exclaimed.

Dean chuckled. "Shay, love, the last time you said that we had to get your stomach pumped." He shot a _what can you do, he's adorable_ look at Harry, and lead Seamus away.

Ginny danced her way to the bar. "Hey you," she said, slipping an arm around his waist. He pressed his lips to her forehead, "All right?"

"Mmm," he nodded, never being a huge fan of parties.

She grabbed his hand. "Come talk to Hannah and Neville. Ron and Hermione are there too," she suggested, pulling him towards her. Together they walked over to see their friends.

"I can't believe Cormac MacLaggen showed up. He's already hit on Susan _and_ Padma," groused Ginny. Her fists clenched. "I've got a good mine to -"

"Woah there, Harpy," interrupted Harry. "You need to do something with all that pent up energy. Remember, off duty Auror here," he said, pointing to himself.

"I have an idea how I can use up some energy," she teased, dragging his head down to whisper in his ear. He flushed, his eyes widening as she finished. "Or, you can dance with me," she finished.

"Let's go find Ron and Hermione first," he suggested, and grabbed her hand, pulling her over to Neville, now talking with Padma Patil, Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson. His best friends weren't there.

"Where's Ron?" he asked, looking around.

"Probably off somewhere, disappointing Hermione," teased George, coming up to join them from behind. His comments made Ginny snort.

Hannah joined her boyfriend, Neville, and greeted everyone else. "I just saw Ron and Hermione go downstairs for some fresh air," she said, looking troubled, "but Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini had just come in, too. Oh, I hope there won't be trouble," she said in concern.

"I'll go down and check things out," offered Harry.

"Me too, I'm coming with you," said Ginny, fists clenched, yet again.

He lowered her fists. "Gin, love, you have to pick your battles." _Save it for the Quidditch pitch._

She lead the way to the door, in fact, Harry had to hurry to keep up with her. "I'm full of energy. I'm picking all of them," she said in a determined way.

"Oh, brother," sighed Harry. " She is _so_ going to punch someone tonight and I'm going to have to arrest my own girlfriend," he muttered to himself.

When they got downstairs, they did, indeed, find Ron and Hermione were trading barbs with Malfoy and Zabini.

Malfoy and Zabini looked amused, but Ron's ears were red, which was not a good sign. No doubt Malfoy had made a comment about him and Hermione.

To both Harry and Ginny' surprise, Hermione began mimicking Draco. "Ooh, look, I'm a Malfoy. I'd rather be anywhere but here. I'm all about long sullen silences, followed by mean comments and icy blue glares, followed by threats to tell your father, followed by more sullen silences." Her voice had become louder the longer she spoke. Over her head, Ron and Harry exchanged looks, eyebrows raised. _What had gotten in to Hermione?_

Far from being upset, Draco only looked amused. "You know, Granger, you need to stop sending me these mixed messages." He shot her a sultry look.

Hermione glared at him. " _'I don't like you'_ and _'go away and leave us alone'_ are not mixed messages, Malfoy."

"Your lips say one thing but your eyes say another," said Draco, knowing full well he was getting under Ron's skin.

"Want to know what my fists say?" challenged Ginny. Draco looked over at the sound of her voice, but as she was behind Ron and Harry, he couldn't see her.

"Why don't you go to hell, Malfoy," sneered Ron.

Hermione sighed. "Ron, what did I tell you about calling Draco the devil?"

"That's it's offensive to the devil?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, it is," piped up Ginny, again.

"Look, Malfoy, we don't want any trouble," began Harry.

"Yeah, we do. Trouble is my middle name," called Ginny, bouncing on her feet.

"From now on your middle name is _'Shut It!_ " warned Harry, scowling at her. She scowled back, unafraid.

"Sticks and stones, Granger, Weasley," drawled Draco.

"Describing your breakfast, Malfoy?" asked Hermione, sweetly.

"Good one, Hermione," called Ginny, trying to push past Harry and Ron. She finally squeezed between them. "Hello, Malfoy. Make anyone cry today?"

Draco looked at watch, bored. "Sadly no, but the night is young."

"Evening, Ginevra," purred Blaise. "I do miss watching you play for the Harpies," he said.

Harry tensed, trying to step in front of Ginny, but she was not going to be moved from front and centre. "Really," she challenged him. "I never took you for a groupie."

He smiled. "You're exactly my kind of woman. Hot as hell and stronger than I am."

"Well, the latter describes most of the women in the world," snapped Ginny.

"Why are you even here, Malfoy, Zabini?" asked Harry, trying to keep the peace. He settled for putting an arm around Ginny's waist, to show Zabini he and Ginny were together, but more so, to keep her in check.

"I always thought it was to study us, discover our weaknesses and report back to your alien overlords," quipped Ginny, answering his question to the pair.

"Has she been watching X-Files too," murmured Hermione to Harry, who nodded. He missed Zabini saying something to Ginny, but he felt her tense.

"I am _so_ going to take you out, Zabini," she said, trying to wiggle away from Harry.

"Great, it's a date," grinned Zabini. "Our first."

"I meant that as a threat," said Ginny.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Harry. Everybody quietened. "Malfoy, Zabini, why are you doing this?" By now, a crowd had gathered to see what was going on.

"Because we're bored, it's funny and we hate you. There you go, that's the holy trinity of _'why',_ " explained Draco. Blaise chuckled, and the two men bumped knuckles.

"I think he's secretly afraid," suggested Hermione, knowing Draco would hate being called out on any weakness.

"Granger, the word fear is not in my vocabulary," he replied.

"Perhaps, but it's in your eyes," she challenged. She and Ron high fived.

"We just stopped in for a drink, Granger, Potter. Is that against the law these days?" asked Draco.

Harry ignored the question. "Right, go in, get your drink and go. We," – he indicated himself, Ron and Ginny, and the members of the DA who had come down to see what was going on – " are here for a private party. We will return to the party. Have your drink, then get out of here. If I find you still here after that, I will arrest you for disturbing the peace," he warned.

"Hiding behind a badge these days, Potter," sneered Draco. "First Dumbledore, now the Ministry. Oh, and the Harpy."

"I wouldn't mind playing hide the sausage with the lovely Ginevra," crooned Blaise.

Ginny went for him; Harry grabbed her around the waist just in time. Hermione had to stop Ron, and Neville stopped George.

"Right, that's it. I may be off duty but I can still arrest you. Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, you have the right to remain -"

"A loser," announced Ginny, pointing at them. "That's what you both are."

"Nice, Ginny," sighed Harry, "but now, legally, I have to start over. Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini -"

"You did it in the other order before, Harry," interrupted Ron. "You said Zabini first, then Malfoy."

"It doesn't really matter, Ron. Bugger, shut up and let me do this. You lot go back upstairs," said Harry, tiredly, shooing them all away. He was ready to call it a night.

Too slowly for Harry's liking, the crowd dispersed back to the party; Ron, Hermione and Ginny amongst the last, continuing to shoot looks over their shoulders.

"We're going, we're going," said Malfoy, backing away.

Blaise waved to Ginny, raising his voice to her departing back. "Owl me about our date, Harpy."

Ginny turned and sprinted, her eyes blazing in fury. Harry turned to grab her, shouting at them over his shoulder, "Go, get out of here." He snagged his girlfriend around the waist, as she railed to get away and get a clear shot with her wand.

"Harry, let me go, he's begging for a Bat Bogey hex," she implored.

"Not bloody likely, Ginny." He slapped her arse. "Don't make me arrest _you._ "

He chanced a look over his shoulder; the two Slytherins were gone. He half carried Ginny back inside and back to the party. Patrons at the bar wolf whistled and threw out suggestive comments about manhandling and ways to make his woman behave. He hurried along;, he didn't need Ginny more worked up! Her wiggling and squirming was beginning to have an effect on him. "Ginny, enough," he ordered.

They arrived back at the party, and were immediately surrounded by their friends, asking if everything was all right.

Nobody noticed Luna arrive, until she simply said. "Hello. It's so nice to see everyone here."

They looked at her' it took several seconds till they remembered the actual reason for the party. "Surprise! Surprise," they all called, completely out of sync. Luna looked totally confused, but Ginny came over and hugged her and whispered in her ear. "It's a party for you, Luna. We've missed you." Her friend had been away travelling with her father, Xeno.

"Oh. Should I go and invite Draco and Blaise to join us?" asked Luna. "I just saw them walking down Diagon Alley."

"NO!" shouted everyone, although Harry noticed Ginny's eyes gleam dangerously.

"Where were they, Luna?" asked Ginny, quietly. "Their exact location." She made eye contact with her brothers, who nodded. Harry sighed. _These Weasleys!_

Harry quickly came to her side. "Hi, Luna, I'm really happy you're back, perhaps you could come for dinner one night. I'm really sorry, but Ginny and I have to go."

Ginny looked confused. "No, we don't."

"Yes, we do. Right now." Harry's words booked no argument, and he grabbed his girlfriend's hand and simply Apparated her home to Grimmauld Place.

"Bloody hell, Harry, a little warning next time," yelled Ginny, as she stumbled against him.

"Sorry," he apologised.

"So what's going on, why did we have to leave?" asked Ginny.

"Because if we'd stayed much longer, I'm pretty sure I was going to have to arrest you," he sighed, pinching his nose.

She sidled up to him. "You wouldn't do that, would you?"

"Yes, Ginny, I would. I'm an Auror," he reminded her.

"Well, bully for you," she retorted. "I'm going to make a sandwich." She flounced off to the kitchen in a huff.

It was still quite early, not even eight o'clock. He took off his jumper and sat on the sofa, pulling out his Auror manual. He had a feeling nothing much else was on offer tonight.

She returned ten minutes later, with the biggest sandwich Harry had ever seen. "I used up all the left overs," she told him, unapologetically.

"It's fine," he assured her. He hesitated. "I'm sorry, Gin."

"It's okay," she conceded. "I mean, I'm sorry for Luna, but we can have her over for dinner, like you said. Besides, you know what tonight is, don't you?"

"Er, Friday night?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No, silly. It's WWE night. World Wrestling Entertainment," she clarified. "My favourite is fighting tonight."

Harry grabbed the remote. "I don't think you should watch anything aggressive tonight, Gin." Although it certainly explained a lot.

"Well, how about a video game. I bet I could kick your arse in MarioKart," she challenged.

Merlin help them if she ever decided to get a driver's licence. "Sure Gin, MarioKart sounds good," he agreed.

But when Hermione and Ron Flooed over to Grimmauld Place later, they found the television set on, frozen at the second race in MarioKart which showed Ginny a clear winner, and clothes scattered around the room.

It became apparent that Harry had certainly found a better way for Ginny to use her pent up energy.

And he could always study tomorrow.


	24. Chapter 24 Morning

It was early morning in Godric's Hollow. The town was quiet, as if no-one was awake. But most certainly, behind closed doors, residents were wakening, having breakfast and planning their day.

In one such house, only two of the five residents were awake, but the other three were likely to wake at any moment.

The two were Harry and Ginny Potter, and as the parents of James, Albus and Lily, they knew once their children were awake and up, any chance of personal time was gone. Their kids would demand their attention for the rest of the day.

Harry had woken first and had enticed his wife awake with kisses over her body. Ginny had stirred, wanting and needing more. She knew, too, their time for this was limited.

Harry had been under the covers for awhile now, and while that had been pleasant, she really wanted more. "Harry, please," she unashamedly begged.

He reappeared at her side. "Need something, Gin?" he teased, letting her feel his arousal near her hip.

She rolled onto her belly. "You, always. Now."

He grinned cheekily and kissed her shoulder. She had let her hair grow out of his pixie cut since she had Albus and retired from Quidditch.

And then they heard them.

"It's mine, Al."

"Please don't call mum," muttered Ginny, feeling his bearded face against her skin.

"Don't punch me, James."

"Please don't call mum," she repeated. She closed her eyes as Harry's lips found hers.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't call mum."

Harry laved her back, moving into position. She lifted her bum in hope.

"Get out of here, Lily."

' _Don't call mum,'_ she silently implored.

"I'm going to call mum."

"Don't call mu-"

'MUMMMMM?!"

"Shit." She sighed in frustration, rolling over and laying under Harry, her hand reaching up to caress his jaw. "This is your fault, you know. You take entirely too long trying to catch my Snitch," she accused, in a resigned, amused tone. She began to rise off the bed.

Harry grabbed her and pulled her back down, ignoring the calls of the children. "It's still so fucking sexy," he tells her in a husky voice.

"Really?" she asked, slightly vulnerable/hopeful. "Even after all this time?" She was ever mindful that they have only slept with each other, and witches were always throwing themselves at her handsome husband.

"I'm going to go and wake Mum right now." The sound of someone stomping up the stairs made them both sigh in resignation.

His passionate kiss left her in no doubt. "Always," he said. He smacked her ass. "Now please go tell our kids to stop yelling." He settled back in bed, hands behind his head, looking like he wasn't planning on going anywhere.

She got up, quickly grabbing his discarded tee shirt, which fell to her thighs, and slipped on a pair of men's boxers she used as sleep pants, a trick she learned when pregnant. "Fine, but if I'm the only one up, that means _I'm_ cooking breakfast." She said it lightly, despite the threat that she knew it was.

He grimaced. "Fine, breakfast, I'm on it," he sighed. He got up after she had left the room.

"But Mum, Albus and James -"

Whatever Albus and James had done to Lily, he never knew. He grabbed his boxers and then, simply to annoy the kids, grabbed Ginny's Harpy's tee shirt and struggled to pull it on. It finished well above his midriff, but he didn't care.

He went down the now quiet hall. Peace at last. He went downstairs and to the kitchen, ready to make breakfast. He opened the door and stepped in. His kid's heads swivelled and, after a glimpse at what he was wearing and, united for once, they all said in horror -

'BLOODY HELL – DAAAAD!"


	25. Chapter 25 Manners

It was a big night for the Potter-Weasley family. The head of their family, Arthur, was being honoured for his long career at the Ministry. With his blessing, Kingsley would also officially announce Harry's promotion to Head Auror, a job he had already been doing for three months alongside Robards, as he phased out.

As Harry came downstairs, fiddling with his tie, he saw his sons, James 6 and Albus 4, dressed in their new suits bought especially for tonight, wrestling on the sofa. "Boys...boys, ENOUGH!" he cried, separating the two.

Both boys giggled. "Just playing, Dad," said James, brushing his messy hair off his face. Ginny had taken him for a hair cut the day before, but it had grown back overnight, to her despair.

"When we goin'?" asked Albus, impatiently. "Will Rosie be there, Daddy?"

"Yes, she will, all your cousins will be there," said Harry, tickling his son under his chin. Green eyes met green; Albus would be a dead ringer for his father when he was older. "Now, remember what we talked about at lunch time. Tonight is an important night and we have to use our very best manners. What does that mean...James, Al?"

"Say please and fank you," said Albus.

"No yelling," said James, " even if I see Freddie somewhere, I'm not allowed to yell out, ' _hey Freddie'!"_

Harry chuckled. "Very good. You smile and you stay close to your family. There'll be plenty of us there, so no wandering away." He knew the press – _including that damn Skeeter_ – would be in force tonight, and Potter-Weasley news was sure to make a headline, truth or not.

"Can we go see your new office, Dad?" asked James. He planned to be an Auror just like his dad one day.

Harry shook his head. "Sorry, boys, not tonight."

"Aw, nuts," scowled James, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Turn that frown upside down," quipped Ginny, coming downstairs with Lily Luna, nearly 2, in her arms.

Lily reached for her father as soon as she saw him. He happily took her from his wife, as she gave the boys a final look over and lecture.

"Don't you look pretty tonight," crooned Harry, noting Ginny had managed to get Lily's unruly hair up in some sort of bun, and she wore a pretty head band that matched her dress. "The prettiest little girl there," he said proudly.

Lily giggled and patted his cheek, her little hands reaching for his glasses.

"Are we ready?" asked Ginny, placing a shawl around her shoulders.

"Mummy looks pretty too, don't you think, boys?" asked Harry.

James and Albus shrugged, already heading for the fireplace. Harry put his spare arm around her, drawing her close. "I think you look amazing," he said softly, kissing her lightly.

Suddenly it was too quiet. They broke apart, in time to see James disappear into the Floo. "Where did he go?" cried Ginny, hurrying to stop Albus do the same, grabbing him around his waist.

"The Burra," said Albus, squirming to get free.

"Oh dear, we were going to go straight to the Ministry," said Ginny. She firecalled her parents, relieved that James had arrived in one piece, and that they would bring him along with them.

"It's fine, Ginny, it's his first solo Floo ride, and he aced it. He probably heard our earlier plans for us all to meet at the Burrow and leave from there," appeased Harry.

Ginny let out a sigh of relief. "You're right, and if this is the worst that can happen tonight, then it's already done. Shall we go? I'll take Albus with me, you can bring Lily."

Harry nodded, watching his wife and second born son step into the Floo. "Ministry of Magic," she called, and was whisked away.

Lily began to whimper when she realised her mother and brother were gone. "Ssh, it's okay, they're okay. Come on, let's go find Mummy and Al?" Harry patted her back.

"Damie too?" she asked, her thumb in her mouth.

"Jamie too," nodded Harry. He stepped into the fireplace and put his hand over her face as he too, called out, "The Ministry of Magic" _._

The Potter family were reunited within minutes, except for James, who arrived fifteen minutes later. "HI, MUM, DAD!" he yelled, waving from across the room. "HEY, AL, DID YOU SEE ME TAKE THE FLOO BY MYSELF, DID YA, DID YA?"

Before they could stop him, Albus left their side and raced across the crowded room to get to his brother and grandparents.

"Merlin, this is going to be a fun night," groaned Ginny, hurrying after her errant sons.

Harry spotted Andromeda and Teddy over the other side. " Come on, Lily, let's go see Teddy and Aunt Andi," he coaxed.

"Teddy, Teddy," chanted Lily.

As they headed over to his godson, Harry happened to notice two of the older members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement talking, whispering anxiously. Harry diverted from his path and headed for them. When one of the men spotted him, he said something to the other, who turned to look at Harry. Both men plastered smooth looks on their face, as if their harried whispers had never taken place.

Harry got a bad feeling. He'd left work the day before, leaving a case in their supposedly competent hands. He knew they weren't thrilled about his promotion, thinking him too young for such responsibility. Sometimes, even now, there was an ' _old boy's club_ ' mentality at the Ministry. Never mind what he had done in the past to derserve his promotion, in his thirties, he was still considered too young by some faction. He wondered what they would think when Hermione decided to run for the Minister for Magic's position.

"Gentleman," he nodded respectfully. His gaze cooled. "Is there a problem? The Monroe case, perhaps?"

"Harry, my boy. No need to be alarmed," joked McAllister, shooting a worried look at his counterpart, O'Leary.

"Then why am I suddenly feeling alarmed," said Harry, dryly, shifting Lily from one arm to the other. She reached up to pat his face.

"Harry, it wasn't a dangerous situation, and we were able to control it," said O'Leary, smoothly. He was taken aback by two piercing green eyes focused on himself.

"You have been hiding information from me. The situation was under control, you told me, no need for back up, or containment, or anything. Dangerous or not..."

he tried to brush Lily's hand away whilst still looking formidable at his peers, "You must tell me absolutely everything, and -"

Lily grabbed his glasses, giggling in delight as they fell to Harry's nose. " take me seriously next time," he finished, staring icily at the men.

There was silence as Harry stared fiercely at the two men – _to him they were mere blurs_ – his glasses now dangling off his nose.

"Of course, Head Auror Potter, I understand. It won't happen again," said McAllister, flushing under the harsh scrutiny when it was turned onto him.

"See that it doesn't," he said harshly, watching as two blurs hurried away from him. "Are they gone?" he whispered to Lily, setting his glasses right. "What am I going to do with you, sweet Lily? How can I make the men take me seriously when you make Daddy look silly?" he asked, ticking her.

"Silly Daddy," agreed Lily. She lay her head on his shoulder, reaching again for his glasses. He moved away, just in time.

"Let's go find Mummy and your brothers," suggested Harry, as they wandered back to the celebration.

"HEY MUM, I FOUND DAD AND LILY," yelled James.

Harry sighed. "James, what did we say about no yelling? Did you-"

Ginny rushed up to him, taking Lily from him as she reached for her mother. "Harry – quiet please, James – Harry, Albus isn't here. Freddie just told me that he dared Albus and Rose to go to your office. We need to go find them!"

"Aw, no fair, you said I couldn't go, so why can Al and Rosie," complained James.

" _No-one_ should be going to my office," said Harry. "Come on, then, we'll go and find them."

"Should I let my parents know where we're going? Ron and Hermione?" asked Ginny, anxious for her four year old son and niece, wandering around the Ministry.

"HEY, GRANDPA, UNCLE RON, WE'RE GOING TO FIND AL AND ROSIE," yelled James.

"Thank you, James," said Ginny dryly. To Harry, she muttered, "Now the whole ministry knows we've lost the children."

Harry was suddenly surrounded by his many nieces and nephews, except for Hugo and Lucy, who were too little to wander alone, and remained with a parent. "Can we come too, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny?" they asked.

Ron, just returning from getting Hermione a drink, looked surprised then concerned that his daughter was missing. Harry gestured to let him know it was all okay. "Fine, come on then, you lot."

Victoire took Lily from Ginny, and Teddy fell in step with Harry. Ginny held Roxeanne's hand. Dominique and Molly held hands, while Freddie, James and Louis raced to be first to the lift. Once it arrived, they ventured down, and when it opened, the boys raced to Harry's new office.

They found Albus and Rose, sitting together and twirling in Harry's chair, giggling. "Albus Potter, Rose Weasley, what did we tell you about running away?" asked an exasperated Ginny.

"Not to," said Albus.

"So why are you here? You were supposed to stay downstairs, with the family," reasoned Ginny.

"Albus is my family, I stayed with him," explained Rose.

"Rose is my family, I stayed with her," added Albus, and then they giggled together. The two of them were as thick as thieves.

"That's not what we meant. When we said family, we meant grown ups," sighed Harry.

"Mummy said Daddy acts like a child sometimes. Does Daddy count, then?" asked Rose, screwing up her nose in thought.

"Yes," said Harry.

"No," said Ginny, at the same time. They looked at each other and shrugged, grinning. Their nephews and nieces chuckled, used to Aunt Hermione berating Uncle Ron.

"Cool office, Harry," said Teddy, looking around.

"Yeah, cool," agreed James, who basically agreed with everything Teddy said.

"You know what's cool? Going back downstairs to your parents," suggested Ginny.

"But you're right here," pointed out James.

"I want to stay," agreed Albus. "Please," he tacked on.

"Peas," parroted Lily.

"We came tonight for a very special reason, remember?" reminded Harry firmly but quietly.

"Your Grandpa Weasley is going to be honoured for his many years of work. I know how much he'd love to have _all_ his grandchildren see that," said Ginny, looking them all in the eye.

"Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny are right, we should go back. Come on, now," ordered Victoire, ushering her cousins together and heading them out the door. Teddy helped her with the younger ones, especially James.

They headed up in the lift, talking companionably. The kids burst out, heading back to the party. James arrived first.

"WE'RE BACK!" yelled James. "WE FOUND 'EM COS MY DAD IS THE BEST AUROR EVER!"

Hermione and Audrey rushed over, scooping Rose and Molly into their arms, then returning to their respective husbands. Heads turned to look at them and the whispering began.

"Do you think there's any chance we _won't_ make the front page of the Prophet tomorrow?" whispered Ginny to Harry.

He grimaced as Lily swiped his glasses again. "Not a bloody one." replied Harry.

Speaking of, Rita Skeeter – _who else_ – sauntered over, as the rest of the Weasley children scattered to find their parents. "Hello, Harry, Ginevra," she drawled, eyes lighting up as Ginny scowled at the use of her full name. Rita knew full well she hated it. "Trouble with the children?"

"Not at all, Rita. Now, goodbye," said Harry, gesturing for Ginny to follow him somewhere, _anywhere_ else.

"Or perhaps it's the Monroe case that's bothering you? Unless you haven't heard?" challenged Rita, eyes gleaming.

"The situation is well under control, and you can quote me on that," said a terse Harry, moving away.

Ginny followed but so did Rita. "I noticed your elder son came along with his grandparents, not with you both. Care to explain?" she hinted.

"I took the Floo all by myself," said James, proudly, to this stranger.

Rita's sharp eyes fell on him. "Really?" She crouched down to his level. He took a step back from intense stare and her strong perfume." You're very young to Floo alone. Do your parents let you go alone all the time?" Her Quick Quill quotes wrote _'Bad Parenting – The Potters?'_

"Get away from my son, Rita, if you know what's good for you," warned Ginny, seethingly. She placed her hands on James shoulders.

James looked from the creepy lady to his angry mum. " Rita? Is this the bug lady you and Dad don't like, Mum, Rita M'skeeter?" He looked back at the lady. "Then GO AWAY, YOU SMELL!"

Several people nearby began to turn to see what was going on, including Ron and Hermione, who were close by. When she saw Rita, Hermione put on her lawyer face, and headed for them, even with Hugo on her hip.

Ginny snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. Rita looked taken aback, especially when Albus stepped forward. "YOU LEAVE US ALONE, STINKY LADY!"

Lily started crying, loudly. 'YOU MADE MY SISTER CRY!" yelled James.

"Really, Rita," said a woman nearby, shaking her head in disgust. Everyone knew of Rita's somewhat obsession with the Potters, but to attack the children?

"I'm going, I'm going," she muttered, casting a dirty look in Harry's direction. She shot Ginny a withering look, which was returned, and hastily backed into the crowd, her Quick Quill notes following her.

'FANK YOU, NASTY LADY!" yelled Albus. He looked up at Ginny. "I didn't forget to use my manners, Mummy." She patted his head in affection.

Hermione arrived seconds after Rita had left. " Sorry I didn't get here sooner, the speeches have started," she huffed. She handed Hugo to Harry, as her son reached for Lily, who was sniffling. "Was she being a bother?"

"When isn't she?" asked Harry, rhetorically, jiggling Lily and Hugo, one in each arm.

"But I think it's fair to say, our kids scared her off," stated Ginny, proudly.

"And would you please put your hands together for Mr Harry Potter, who has taken over the reins as Head of the Auror Department. Harry, where are you?" boomed Kingsley.

A spotlight fell on Harry and applause filled the room. He tried to wave to acknowledge them, but it was difficult with two kids in each arm.

It certainly didn't help when Lily knocked his glasses off again, or Hugo threw up over his suit, from all the jiggling.

Kids!


	26. Chapter 26 Teddy

Ginny Weasley walked up the stairs at Grimmauld Place after she had closed the Floo for the night. She had moved in with her boyfriend, Harry Potter, after her first year with the Harpies. She would have moved in with him straight after Hogwarts, but her mother didn't deem it 'proper', so, deciding to humour Molly for now, she had agreed. She had to admit, it was nice coming home to a hot cooked meal and have her laundry done when she herself was so damned tired from training. In the back of her mind she reminded herself that Harry had a perfectly capable house elf, but honestly, that first year had gone so quickly, before she knew it, she and Harry were living together.

She peeked in their bedroom; nope, no sign of Harry. Teddy's bedroom was dark, with just a night light on, but Harry had brought him up for his bath, then a story, ages ago. Surely he was asleep by now?

A peek in the little boy's bedroom told a completely different picture.

She found her boyfriend in bed, clothed and wand in his hand, sound asleep, snoring lightly. A wide awake and still clothed Teddy was next to him, sitting up and colouring in his favourite book. He had also coloured his own face, trying to emulate Harry's beard and scar, in a nice bright shade of green. He looked up, sensing someone was watching him.

"Goodnight," he said, realising his colouring in time was over.

Ginny chuckled. "Nice try, Teddy, but there's no escape today. It's bathtime."

The little boy, knowing he could charm his way out of this with his godfather but not Ginny so much, reluctantly left his colouring book with Harry, as well as his stuffed owl. "Heddy will watch over Harry," he told Ginny, taking her hand as she led him to the bathroom. He had named his owl after Hedwig.

"Heddy is a very good owl," agreed Ginny. She quickly undressed Teddy and placed him in the bath when it was ready. She washed him quickly but thoroughly. A child friendly Scourgify removed his beard and scar, despite his protests.

"But I wanna be like Harry," he complained.

"If Harry could remove his scar, he would," she told him. "Now, time to brush teeth."

Ginny could see him wilting the longer he was awake; it was now well past his usual bedtime. She picked him up, thrilling to feel his arms around her neck as she carried him back to his bedroom.

She paused. Harry was now completely curled up asleep in the middle of Teddy's bed, snuggled with the toy owl.

Ginny sighed and looked at Teddy, who had his thumb in his mouth. He'd be asleep in no time, she knew. Oh well, looks like her late night plans for Harry were a bust for tonight.

"Wanna sleep with me tonight, Teddy?" she asked.

He brightened. "In the big bed?" Sleeping in there was a treat.

"Yep."

"Oh, boy. But what about Heddy?" he asked.

"How about tonight, you and Harry swap who you cuddle with?" asked Ginny. "He can cuddle with Heddy and you -"

"Can cuddle with you. Yes, please, Ginny," yawned Teddy, tucking his head on her shoulder.

She kissed the top of his head. " Come on then, you even get to sleep on Harry's side of the bed," she said, and used her wand to turn down the bedcovers.

She tucked him in and leant over to kiss his cheek. "Boy," he said, yawning even as his eyes drifted shut. "Won't Harry be s'prised in the morning?" His eyes closed and he was asleep.

"Goodnight, Teddy, sweet dreams," she whispered.

She waved her wand to set up buffers around his side of the bed, a spell Andromeda had taught her. Then, before she undressed and readied for bed, she went to check on Harry.

She carefully removed his wand from his hand and set it, and his glasses, on the bedside table, along with Teddy's book. She removed his shoes and socks and somehow manouvered him under the bedcover. Like she had done with Teddy, she kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight, Harry, sweet dreams," she repeated softly.

She doused the nightlight and returned to her room. Teddy had turned and curled into a ball and was sound asleep.

Ginny undressed and grabbed one of Harry's tees and some boxers and climbed into bed. A glance at the clock told her it was 7.03pm.

Yes, the papers may be full of lies about Harry and Ginny's glamorous lifestyle; leading Auror and first string Harpy. Making the front page of the papers, partying all the time, fighting and making up. Anything to sell a few papers.

 _If only they knew,_ she thought, before she, too, fell asleep, ' _how quiet and absolutely wonderful our life really is._ '

If only they knew.


	27. Chapter 27 Romantic

Harry Potter and his godson Teddy Lupin were both leaning over the fence, watching Harry's wife, Ginny, out flying with the Harpies. She had been asked to participate in a charity match during the Christmas break, featuring the public-voted-for favourite Harpy players. The match was this Saturday and the whole family was going to support Ginny. Harry had finished work early today and suggested they go watch training.

Albus and James were currently racing up and down the stands and Lily was on the ground with the support staff, probably getting an insight of what it means to be a Harpy. Gwenog had gifted her the tiniest Harpy player jersey when she was born, along with a mock contract that Harry had a sneaking suspicion just might be the real deal.

Harry's eyes rarely left his wife, recognising her delight in being back in the air with her _'sisters'._ But he also sensed Teddy wanted to talk so he bided his time. He didn't have long to wait.

"You know, I took your advice," said Teddy. "Last August."

Harry thought back. At 14, he'd had 'the talk' with his godson, having the suspicion he had his eye on a girl. He'd also taught him the necessary shaving charms and even showed him the Muggle way. Teddy used the occasion to tease Harry about his beard and man-bun.

"It's just way too much beard, just saying," Teddy had said.

Harry knew the boy was just mimicking what Ron and George often said, so he took no offense. "For your information, Teddy, beards can be very successful," he'd said, with a wink.

Teddy thought for a moment. "You mean girls like it?" he'd asked in surprise.

Harry had nodded. " Ginny almost broke my arm when she saw I was going to shave this morning," he confided.

Teddy looked thoughtful. "I see..."

"So..." Harry looked at Teddy, bringing him back to the present. "It kind of worked. The beard thing, I mean. Vi-, er, girls at school really liked it."

Harry tried not to smile. Ginny had suspected Victoire was the witch who had caught Teddy's eye. He guessed he owed his wife a nice dinner out.

"That's great, Teddy. So, any girl in particular?" he asked, trying to get the lay of the land to tell Ginny.

"Er, I'd rather not say, not yet. Maybe soon," hedged Teddy.

"But the beard didn't last?" asked Harry, for Teddy was clean shaven.

Teddy shook his head. "She said it rubbed her face when we snog. Oh!" He blushed when he realised he had confessed something very personal.

Harry chuckled, patting his godson on the shoulder. "It's fine, Teddy. You're nearly15 now. You do remember what we talked about though, don't you. The charms, the right way to treat your girl."

Teddy grinned and nodded. "Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about later, you and Ginny. I need some advice, you know, old people advice. Parental," he amended quickly.

Harry patted his shoulder, letting him know it was fine. "Well, looks like training is over," he said, with a nod at the pitch. He watched as Ginny coaxed Lily into the air, and watched his wife and daughter fly together. "What do you say we grab dinner at the Leaky, then you can ask Ginny and me for our _'old people's'_ advice." He used his fingers to execute quotation marks.

Teddy groaned. "You cannot tell Ginny I said that," he ordered.

"You know she has a way of finding these things out, Teddy," reminded Harry, waving to Lily who had just flown past.

"Yeah, well, that's usually fun when it comes to James, but not for me," pouted Teddy.

"What can I say, she's Ginny," shrugged Harry. "She knows all."

Later

Harry and Ginny were sitting on the sofa, talking about the upcoming match. Teddy had waited till James, Albus and Lily were in bed, then came down to talk to them, a guitar in hand.

"I've made a song for Vi- er, my girlfriend. Do you guys want to hear it? I need some feedback before I sing it to her on Valentine's Day," he pleaded.

Ginny smiled encouragingly at him. "Romantic."

"Go ahead, Teddy," nodded Harry.

Teddy nodded and propped a leg up on the coffee table and rested the guitar on it.

He strummed it, and took a deep breath. "I fucking love you," he sang. "Yeah, yeah!"

"I want to take your hand and do other things too, yeah, yeah."

Harry frowned and Ginny looked taken aback. "Things I can't say out loud...so I'll sing, yeah, yeah," continued Teddy.

"You know, I actually like it. The screaming shows real emotion," said Ginny.

"Let's French kiss," crooned Teddy.

"I can't hear a word you're saying, but I second that," quipped Harry. He paused. "The lyrics, though."

Ginny nodded. "Oh, yeah, we'll need to mke sure Bill never hears about it."

Teddy finished with a flourish. "Well, what do you think?" he asked.

"It shows great passion," applauded Ginny.

"Really? You think Vi-, er, she'll like it?" he asked.

"Maybe tweak the lyrics a bit," she suggested. "Perhaps Harry can help you."

"Me? You're the writer in the family," he reminded her. He slung an arm around her shoulder and leaned closer to whisper, " and resident poet. ' _His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad..."_

Ginny rolled her eyes but Teddy looked interested.

"I wish he was mine, he's really-ugh, ow, that hurt, Gin," pouted Harry, rubbing his stomach where she had nudged him...hard.

"Hey, that was great. Can I borrow that?" asked Teddy eagerly.

"Yes!" grinned Harry, while Ginny called out a definite "No!"

Teddy grabbed his guitar and raced upstairs, leaving Harry to placate Ginny. "Come on, love, it's a great poem, it deserves to live on in the next generation," he consoled.

"So does my Bat Bogey hex," she warned.

He shut her up the best way he knew, pulling her onto his lap and kissing her senseless.

Teddy reached the top of the stairs, intent on going to his room to work on these cool new lyrics. He hadn't counted on James, Albus and Lily waiting for him on his bed.

"I want to take your hand," sang James.

"Yeah, yeah," sang Albus.

"Shut it, you guys," scowled Teddy, "you're supposed to be in bed."

"Let's French kiss," sang Albus, and James puckered his lips, blowing kisses at Teddy.

"Are you really going to sing that to Vic?" asked Lily.

"You know about me and Vic?" asked Teddy, surprised. They had decided to keep it quiet at Hogwarts, knowing their many cousins had eyes and ears everywhere and hadn't wanted word to get back to Bill and Fleur, not yet.

"Well, not for sure, till just now," grinned James.

"You Potters," sighed Teddy, sinking onto his bed.

Lily patted his shoulder sympathetically. "I think it's romantic," she assured him. "What's French kissing?" she asked.

"That's what Teddy and Vic do," teased James. "In the owlery."

"And in the broom cupboards," added Albus.

"Freddie saw them on the Quidditch Pitch," remembered James.

"Domi caught them when they were doing prefect rounds," nodded Albus.

"Rose said Madame Pince _nearly_ caught them in the library," added Lily.

"And then there was the time they had _'detention',_ " said Albus, using his fingers to indicate detention had been anything but.

"Merlin, you lot are so much like your parents. Go away, go to bed," he ordered them, flushing. He guessed he and Vic hadn't been as discreet as what they had hoped.

"No kiss goodnight?" pouted James, while Albus hooted and made kissy noises.

"He's saving them all for Vic," he teased.

"I still don't know what a French kiss is," giggled Lily. She hugged Teddy and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight," she told him, dragging her brothers out.

Peace and quiet. "Much better," sighed Teddy. "Now, what was that line Harry said. 'I wish she was mine...we'll drink French wine...ah, fuck."

He heard Harry and Ginny come up and check on the kids, then silence. He heard their bedroom door open and close, but he kept working on his song, wanting it be just perfect for Victoire.

There was a soft knock on the door and he called out, "come in." To his surprise, it was Ginny, dressed in a well worn DMLE teeshirt that hung past her thighs and some sleep shorts.

"Hey," she greeted softly, " still working at it."

"Just tweaking," he told her.

"Maybe I _can_ help," she said, sitting on the side of his bed. "I think _those_ lyrics have to go," she suggested, pointing to a certain line. "Budge over."

She joined him on his bed, sitting side by side as they ran through the lyrics, Ginny adding some suggestions and letting Teddy think he came up with them by himself.

Finally they were finished. She stretched. "Merlin, it's nearly midnight. I think we're done here, yeah?"

Teddy nodded, enthusiastically. "Thanks, Ginny."

She teasingly yanked on his Harpy's cap so it covered his eyes. He grimaced as he pulled it back up. "Don't be too late. Look at it in the morning with fresh eyes," she said.

He nodded again, watching as she yawned and hopped off the bed, heading for the door. He was surprised Harry hadn't come looking for her.

"Ginny?"

She stopped and looked back at him.

He flushed. She had always told him he never had to thank her for doing _'mum'_ things for him, but he really wanted her to know how much he appreciated it, appreciated _her_. "You looked really good out on the pitch today," he ended up saying.

She smiled. "It felt great to be back out there. But it was even better having my family cheering me on. Night, Teddy."

"Night, Ginny." He always got a warm feeling in his chest when she called him _'family'._

She left. Teddy looked at the re-written song and placed it on his bed side table. He'd look it over again in the morning.

Vic was going to fucking love it!


	28. Chapter 28 Anniversary

Hermione Granger-Weasley and Ginny Potter were sipping champagne, waiting for their husbands to return. Despite it being Ron and Hermione's first wedding anniversay, he had spent the afternoon with Harry, Neville, Seamus, Dean and George, playing paintball. Hermione had spent the day at the spa with her sisters-in-law, Ginny, Fleur, Angelina, Audrey, and Hannah Longbottom.

"I still don'r see why we couldn't have gone to paintball too, then gone to the spa," complained Ginny, goodnaturedly. "We could have done girls versus guys. I'd love to shoot Harry." She grinned evilly at the thought.

"I did some research, Ginny. It's not exactly the way I wanted to spend my anniversary," commented Hermione.

"You're choosing dinner and anniversary sex over paintball?" asked Ginny, shaking her head. "Not me!"

Hermione scoffed. "You wouldn't have sex with Harry on your anniversary?" she asked doubtfully.

"No," clarified Ginny. "Paintball, where we can shoot the shit out of each other, then messy hot sex." She laughed at the look on Hermione's face.

"Sounds like a perfect anniversary to me," quipped Harry, stepping out of the Floo. He came straight to Ginny, tipping her head up to kiss her. "Hello, wife."

"Husband," she greeted, and slapped his arse as he walked past to grab a couple of Butterbeers out of the fridge.

Ron came over and kissed the top of Hermione's head. "Hey, 'Mione. I'm just going to run upstairs and use the loo."

"Make sure you put the toilet seat down," called Hermione, as he rushed upstairs.

"Yes, dear," he called.

"Aw, is that a thing you guys do now," said Ginny.

"Yes, we're pretending to be you two," teased Hermione, nodding back at Ginny.

"What?" Ginny was affronted. "We don't do that! Harry, tell them we don't do that."

"Yes, dear," said Harry, winking at Hermione.

"Oh, you," scoffed Ginny. She noticed Harry wincing as he sat next to her. "How was paintball."

"I think I have bruises on my bruises. My arse hurts. Seamus got me right on my butt cheek," he complained.

"I told you it was dangerous," sighed Hermione. "I told Ron – don't do anything dangerous."

"Come on, Hermione, you and I both know that's asking too much from these two," grinned Ginny, wincing herself as Harry swung his legs up and over onto her lap. She massaged his legs, earning a sigh of satisfaction from her husband.

Ron returned from upstairs, tucking himself in. "I checked on the sprog, he's still asleep. Say, Hermione, I had this idea...now, before you say no – "

"No," said Hermione, instantly.

He stopped and looked at her. "But I haven't even told you yet!" He took the Butterbeer Harry held up for him.

Hermione nodded. "I know, but I'm sticking with no."

"Oh, come on, Hermione," coaxed Harry, who was obviously in on Ron's idea. "Our hearts say yes."

"But Hermione says no," reminded Ginny.

"Excuse me, who made Hermione the boss of the group?" asked Ron, annoyed.

"You did," said Harry. "You said, _'Hermione should be the boss'._ "

Ginny nodded in agreement. "And then you said _'let's vote',_ and it was unanimous."

"And then you bought her this plaque that said 'Boss Of Us'," grinned Harry.

"Luna even painted little sparkles on it," said Ginny.

Ron sighed. "These are all valid points."

Hermione and Ginny laughed. "You guys are idiots, you know that?" said Hermione.

"In our own defense, we actually did know that," agreed Ron, chuckling. He grabbed Hermione's hand. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," replied Hermione.

"You're my wife," he told her sappily.

"And you're my husband."

"You married me in front of people," he reminded her.

"You did. I was there," said Harry.

"Our first year as a married couple, and we're still so much in love," grinned Hermione.

"Yeah!" Ron punched the air. "In your face, those who said we wouldn't last a year!"

"Hey, I stand by my wedding toast," pouted Ginny.

They all chuckled as they remembered Ginny's drunken toast at Ron and Hermione's wedding a year ago.

 _'My brother's really lame...but Hermione's pretty cool. I guess I kinda see why she would marry him. Also, if anyone has seen my hoodie, I lost it, thanks. Harry, stop laughing. Merlin, you're sexy. Come here, you."_

"And then the two of you disappeared under the table," scolded Hermione.

"With the bottle of champagne we planned to keep for our one year anniversary," glared Ron.

"You know, I always suspected that was the night you got me pregnant with James," said Ginny, to Harry. He leaned over to kiss her, much to Ron's disgust. She nipped Harry's bottom lip with her teeth.

"Hey, that reminds me. This place we went to play paintball, we actually saw a snake. Dean nearly got bitten, but Harry convinced it to leave us alone. Do you reckon it was poisonous, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, but Hermione interrupted. "Venomous, Ron. Snakes are venomous."

"Not this one," said Harry.

"What's the difference?" asked Ron to Hermione.

"If you bite it and you die, it's poisonous. If it bites you and you die, it's venomous," she told him.

"What if it bites me and _it_ dies?" asked Ron.

"That means _you're_ poisonous," said Hermione, patiently.

"What if it bites itself and I die?" teased Harry.

"That's voodoo," grinned Ginny. Harry nudged her in approval.

"What if it bites me and someone else dies?" asked Ron, genuinely curious.

"That's correlation," said Hermione.

"Not causation?" asked Ron. Hermione shot him a surprised but proud look.

"Well, what if we bite each other and neither of us die?" asked Harry.

"That's just kinky," said Ginny. Harry pulled her onto his lap and kissed her.

"Right, that's our cue to leave," said Hermione. When there was no response from the Potters, she raised her voice. "We're going out to dinner. _The Niffler,_ the trendiest restaurant in town."

Harry and Ginny continued to kiss.

"Yeah, we had to use your name to get us a reservation, Harry..and I swiped your Gringotts card to pay for it. Thanks for that," said Ron.

Hermione sighed in annoyance when there was still no response. " Come on, Ron, we might as well go. Honestly, they couldn't keep their hands off each other at our wedding reception, and a year later, nothing has changed."

Ron nodded as they walked to the Floo. "That's nothing. Do you know what he told me at his bachelor party, about the first time he saw Ginny do her Bat Bogey Hex?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Told me it made him scared...AND horny! Then he apologised for taking Ginny's virginity, and promised it would never happen again. Honestly, there are just some things a bloke doesn't need to know about his sister and his best friend," sighed Ron.

Hermione couldn't help it, she broke into laughter, looking back at their best friends, still snogging on the sofa. "Actually, I think they're brilliant," she admitted softly.

"Well, I happen to think you're brilliant," commented Ron. "Come on, 'Mione, let's go home."

Harry and Ginny broke apart, breathing heavily, just as Ron and Hermione stepped into the Floo.

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY," they yelled together. But either the couple didn't hear them, or chose to give them a taste of their own medicine.

"Rude, leaving without saying goodbye," noted Ginny.

Harry nodded. "And we never gave them that bottle of champagne we bought for them, to replace the one we drank at the wedding."

"It would be a shame to waste it," mused Ginny, with a glint in her eye. "Come on, James should sleep for another hour or so."

"Besides," she added, as Harry pulled her off the sofa, " it's kind of my anniversary too. It's a year ago today I found my hoodie!"

"I'll drink to that," agreed Harry. He Apparated them upstairs to their bedroom.

"Harry, when it's our anniversary, let's go paintballing," suggested Ginny.

"You want to shoot me, don't you?" asked Harry, with a knowing look.

"You know me too well," giggled Ginny. "You and my brothers, actually. Girls versus guys. We'll kick your arses."

Harry winced and rubbed his arse. " Don't remind me! Bloody Seamus!"


	29. Chapter 29 Kiss

Harry Potter returned to his bedroom, towel around his waist after his shower. "So Gin, what else did you have planned for our first completely kid free day for Merlin-knows how many years?" he asked his wife.

His wife lolled around on the bed, naked, having just stepped out of the shower shortly before him. " Don't know. All I planned to do today was you, actually." She grinned. "No interruptions, the ability to scream as loud as I want, hell, just rolling around on our bed naked is a luxury these days," she reminded him.

He dropped the towel and joined her on the bed. "I agree. Remember the days when we spent most weekends in bed?" He reached for her, pulling her to his side.

She laughed, resting her head on his chest, her fingers drawing patterns on his skin. "Well, we probably traumatised Kreacher a time or two."

"Now the only ones traumatised are us, whenever the kids barge in," chuckled Harry. "Although you are getting very inventive when it comes to excuses that they believe. Calling me your bouncy castle was one of my favourites, that morning Albus interrupted us."

"Yeah, and I really don't think James believed I hurt my foot in the shower to explain why we were in there together, and the position we were in," admitted Ginny, remembering their eight year old son catching them with her legs wrapped around Harry's waist and his hands on her arse, propping her up.

"You know, when the kids get old enough to know what we were really doing, they're going to think we're sex addicts," said Harry, running his hands through her gorgeous hair. She had started to grow it out of the pixie cut she'd had while playing for the Harpies.

"So maybe we should get out the bedroom, go out and do something, take advantage of our freedom for the day," suggested Ginny. Hermione and her parents were taking Rose, Hugo, Albus and Lily to a pantomine in Muggle London, and James had a sleepover at George and Angelina's the night before and was spending the day with his cousin Freddie. They'd all meet at the Burrow for dinner.

"Well, now you mention it..." Ginny looked up curiously as Harry's voice trailed off uncertainly. "I happened to be given tickets to a Quidditch match today. I don't suppose...?"

"Who is it? The Harpies against the Tornadoes? Ballycastle versus the Arrows? Falcons versus Pride of Portee?" she asked interestedly, sitting up slightly, her chin resting on his chest.

"Er, the Cannons are playing against Puddlemere. Oliver gave me really good tickets," he hurriedly added.

Ginny screwed up her nose. "The Canons? Wouldn't you rather take Ron?"

"You know he's at the shop today. Come on, it's a nice day, you won't have to do any reporting, just simply enjoy the match and your husband's company."

She pressed her lips against his skin. "I have been enjoying your undivided attention so far and I guess, seeing as it's the Cannons, the match won't last too long, right?"

"Right. And if it finishes really early, we'll come home and I'll shag your brains out again," he teased.

"Sounds like an offer I can't refuse," she replied, her fingers lightly running from his chest down his abdomen and further still.

He grabbed her hand and rolled over on top of her, kissing her hard. "You keep that up and we'll never leave the bedroom," he growled. "The match starts in an hour."

She arched under him. "We can be little bit late, can't we, Harry?"

"Just one more thing," he said, kissing down her neck. "We absolutely cannot tell Ron we went."

"Can we please not mention my brother just before we shag," she groaned.

"He-Who-Supports-the-Canons?" suggested Harry.

"How about you simply put your mouth to better use," she suggested, pushing his head further down her body. "We'll just be fashionably late."

Fashionably late, they were, but to their relief, the few fans near them didn't even look up as they slid into their seats. They settled down with their drinks, looking out over the pitch.

"You know what, this is a great idea. It's a brilliant day for Quidditch," beamed Ginny, adjusting her dark sunglasses.

Harry nodded, feeling the same. "Makes me want to go for a fly," he admitted.

"Maybe when we get to the Burrow. With our mob, we can always organise a quick game," suggested Ginny. She lifted the Omniculars to her eyes. "Oliver does _not_ look happy."

They sat contentedly, her hand on his knee, his arm around her shoulder, simply enjoying the sunshine and this rare time alone. They debated some of the plays the Chasers were running, and Harry swore he saw the Snitch twice. Finally Oliver called a time out.

"Puddlemere aren't doing as well as what I thought they would. Pendlebury for the Canons is having a great match...and that's something I never thought I would say," chuckled Ginny, mentioning the Chaser for Ron's beloved team.

The crowd started a slow clap. Harry and Ginny looked at the giant screen to see what was going on. A camera roved the crowd, stopping on a small boy decked out in all orange, then an elderly witch, waving a Puddlemere flag.

Music filled the stadium, and the camera searched for a couple for its popular Kiss Cam. Harry and Ginny watched in amusement as couples near them waved, hoping to be the ones chosen.

Suddenly their own images, larger than life, were on the screen, surrounded by lovehearts and cupids flying. "Kiss, Kiss," chanted the crowd, delighted to see the reclusive couple there.

They looked at each other. "Ah, what the hell," grinned Harry, leaning forward to nuzzle his nose against hers, to cup her chin in his hands before kissing her in front of everyone.

The crowd went wild as they parted, smiling sheepishly at the screen. To their relief, the match resumed and the attention was rightly diverted back to the players and they sat back to enjoy the rest of the match.

The next morning, Ron burst into their bedroom. Harry hurriedly pulled the bedcovers up over his torso. "Merlin, Ron, what the-?"

"You were _there,_ yesterday?" he demanded.

"What?" asked Harry, dumbfounded.

"You and Ginny went to the Cannons/PU match yesterday," declared Ron. "You let me go on and on last night about the win, our first win in I don't know how many years, and you never even said you were there. Hey, where is Ginny, anyway?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," huffed Ginny from under the covers, shoving them back and scrambling up to lay next to Harry. "It's barely eight in the morning, Ron."

"What were you...were you...ew," said Ron, screwing up his nose. He backed away from the bed.

"How did you know?" asked Harry, curiously.

Ron held up the Daily Prophet. "You would have thought the Chudley Cannons defeating Puddlemere United would be the headline, but no, you two, _snogging_ , is on the front page. Who snogs at Quidditch?"" he complained. "Almost put me off my breakfast."

" _Almost,_ " scoffed Ginny. "You couldn't have gone anyway, you were working. We certainly didn't plan on being on their KissCam. It's not like we _like_ an audience," she said pointedly.

At Ron's sceptical look, she relented. "Oh, honestly, Ron. Look, here, Harry and I brought you this at the match yesterday." She waved her wand, sending a bag floating over to her brother. "It _was_ going to be for your birthday next month."

He opened the bag and pulled out a Chudley Cannons jersey, signed by the team. "Did I mention you're my favourite sister," he sighed happily. There was also a programme signed by Pendlebury and Buckley, the new Seeker who had surprised everyone by catching the Snitch.

"Now, if you don't mind?" said Ginny, waving him away. "Your favourite sister wants

some time alone with her husband before her kids wake up. Next time, wait for a more appropriate time, yeah?"

"It's never an appropriate time around here," muttered Ron. When Ginny scowled, he smiled at her, "Thanks for this."

"No worries. Now, go away," she said, waving him away.

"Fine, I'm going," he said, leaving their bedroom.

The door slammed shut behind him.


	30. Chapter 30 Dragon

There wasn't much that could render the Weasley-Potter kids into silence, but seeing their Uncle Charlie practically _cuddling_ a baby dragon was sure to do it.

"Woah," said James, 9 while Albus, 7 and Louis, 8 simply nodded, mouths agape.

Bill and Fleur, Harry and Ginny, and Ron, as well as their kids and Teddy, were on holidays, visiting Charlie in Romania. He had arranged for them to stay on-site at their reservation, so they got the chance to see him and the other dragon handlers in action, close up.

The dragon in question was a Romanian Longhorn and had been a part of their breeding programme. He had been handled by the trainers, and Charlie in particular, since his birth two weeks ago.

"He's beautiful, in an ugly kind of way, isn't he?" decided Ginny, admiring the light green scales that would turn darker as he matured. His horn was a mere stump on his head right now, but would grow larger and turn golden, and would play an essential part in his protection and for when he sought food _if_ he were to be released.

"I like him," declared Lily Luna, 4.

"Will he live here forever, or will Uncle Charlie let him fly away when he's bigger?" asked Dominique, feeling relatively safe, sitting between her dad and Uncle Ron.

"It looks like Uncle Charlie is tickling him," giggled Rose, 7. "Look, Hugo, he's snorting small puffs of fire because he's happy."

Four year old Hugo wasn't so sure. "Are you sure he's happy, Wose?" he asked, doubtfully. "Cos Mum will come and wescue him if he's not."

"Yes, Hermione has a thing about dragons, doesn't she Harry,' teased Ron, winking. Harry laughed as they both remembered escaping the bowels of Gringott's atop a certain dragon many years ago.

"Bill, Ron, Ginny, children...it is tea time," called Fleur, from the rooms they had been allocated.

"What about Uncle Charlie?" asked Victoire, 13.

"He looks like he's having too much fun with the dragon. I'll ask your mum to set aside a plate for him," said Teddy, 14. He held out a hand and pulled her to a standing position, unaware of her blush as he held her hand a moment longer than was necessary.

Ron snickered till Ginny nudged him in the stomach. "Ow, Ginny, that hurt."

"Are you all wight, Dad?" asked Hugo, worried.

"I'm fine, son. Come on, let's beat Rosie to the table," he prompted. They jogged off and Rose shrieked and chased them inside.

" Come on, boys," urged Ginny, beckoning James, Albus and Louis. Harry and Dominique followed the boys, till Harry looked back over his shoulder to see where Lily was.

She had moved closer, peering down over the side rail to watch her uncle. "Lily?" called Harry. He told Dominique to go ahead and he walked back to his daughter. "Hey, sweetheart, it's time for tea."

"I want to stay and watch the dragon," she told him.

"We can come back after tea," said Harry.

"Please, Daddy, one more minute," she begged.

He nodded, knowing one minute wasn't going to hurt. She leaned against him as they watched Charlie encourage the baby to feed. Charlie was in his element and he looked up and waved to Harry and Lily.

Lily tugged at Harry's arm. "Daddy. Can we keep him? Please?"

He looked down at her, her earnest face looking up at him in trust. Her daddy rarely denied her anything.

"I'm sorry, Lily, we can't. He's small now but dragons grow very fast. He'll get really big."

Being big was something Lily could understand. She longed to be big, just like Teddy and Vic, like Jamie and Freddie. Her brothers and cousins were always telling her and Hugo they couldn't play or fly with them because they weren't big enough.

"Like me?" she asked her daddy.

He nodded. "I've seen a big dragon once or twice. He'll grow as big as our house," he told her.

"I don't want to grow _that_ big," she replied. Her bottom lip fell.

Harry picked her up and put her on his knee. "The dragon will stay here with Uncle Charlie and he'll look after it. We can write him letters and ask how the dragon is going. And maybe we can come back and visit next summer," he suggested.

She looked at the dragon, then her daddy. "Promise?"

He couldn't deny her anything. "Promise."

She looked back at the dragon; Charlie was leaving the enclosure, probably to join his family for tea. "I'll be big next summer," she told him.

"Yes, you will," he assured her, then hugged her, "but don't grow up too fast, Lily. Daddy loves you just the way you are."

She wriggled free and looked down. Charlie was gone, and the dragon was crying out for him. He suddenly stopped, sniffed the air and looked up at Lily. Lily looked at Harry, excitedly. "Daddy, look, he sees me!"

"Hey, Harry, Lily," greeted Charlie, appearing alongside of them. "You like my dragon, Lily?" He knelt at her side.

She nodded. "He likes me too, Uncle Charlie." The baby dragon was looking up at them both.

"Well, how about you sit next to me at tea, and I'll tell you all about the dragon, okay?" asked Charlie.

She nodded eagerly, took his hand and they walked off, chatting. "You know, he really needs a name," said Charlie.

"Daddy?" suggested Lily.

Charlie and Harry chuckled. "No, we can't call him Daddy, but how about Harry?"

Lily nodded. "Harry is a very good name."

She and Charlie walked off, hand in hand, with Harry following.

Ginny met them at the door. "I was just coming to look for you all," she told them. Charlie and Lily continued inside, but she grabbed Harry's arm to stop him from following them. "All right?" she asked him.

He nodded.

She looked at him shrewdly. "We're not leaving Romania with a dragon, are we?"

He snorted. "Hardly? What makes you say that?"

She crossed her arms across her chest in amusement. "I know you have a hard time saying no to your daughter," she told him.

"That's because, when she looks at me with those puppy dog eyes, she reminds me of you," he told her, cupping her face and kissing her sweetly, " and I can't resist either of you."

She kissed him back, then shook her head. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger," she accused.

He didn't deny it, how could he, when she was right? "Just like you've got _me_ wrapped around your little finger," he accused her right back.

"Touche," she grinned.


	31. Chapter 31 Home

Ginny lay staring up at the familiar ceiling of her bedroom at the Burrow. Ths was her first night back here since Christmas the previous year. Not long after she had returned to Hogwarts, her family home was raided once again _'on suspicion of harbouring Public Enemy Number One, Harry Potter'_ and her parents had made the hard choice to leave the Burrow and stay at Aunt Muriel's. When she had come home for the Easter holidays, they had taken one look at her bruises and cuts and refused to allow her to return.

But she _had_ returned, once word got out that Harry, Ron and Hermione were at Hogwarts. The word had spread through the DA coins, and she, Fred and George had told their parents, who had notified the Order of the Phoenix. Depsite her mother's wishes, she had joined the battle and had been there at the end when Harry finally defeated Voldemort.

The family had stayed at Hogwarts in the days after, but once word came that it was somewhat safe to leave the school and return home, her dad, Bill and Charlie had left to re-set the wards and repair what they could before Molly saw the state of her beloved home. And now they were home. Only, it wasn't the same, would never be the same.

Fred. Fred had died.

Ginny closed her eyes and rolled over onto her side, trying to tampen down the overwhelming sense of grief. She had come upstairs relatively early after a light tea of sandwiches, for no-one had an appetite. They had spent the day cleaning, repairing and re-stocking their cupboards of the necessities for now.

George had disappeared upstairs, and Percy had followed. Charlie and Bill had worked outside, although Bill kept checking on Fleur, as if needing the reassurance she was close.

Molly had fussed in the kitchen, cooking what she could to feed Hermione, Ron and Harry. Ron was enthusiastic, but Harry and Hermione were quiet, the latter confiding to Ginny in a rare moment alone that now that the war was over, her priority was finding her parents in Australia.

Arthur had set up the familiar camp bed for Hermione in Ginny's bedroom, but as the house began to settle, Hermione fidgeted, tossing and turning. She looked up to find Ginny watching her. She hesitated, wanting to say something, then decided against it.

Ginny nodded. "Go," she whispered. "I'll cover for you if Mum comes in. Mind the third step."

Hermione nodded back, grateful, and she cast a Silencio spell on her feet so they wouldn't make any noise as she went up to Ron's room.

Ginny thought about all the three of them had gone through. They had explained everything to Kingsley, Gawain Robards, who was the new head of the Aurors, Minerva, Hagrid and the Weasleys. Augusta and Neville Longbottom had been there too.

Ginny wasn't stupid, she knew they had left things out, things they would probably never tell anyone. Even so, their story was overwhelming and her heart bled for all that they had been through.

Harry had been quiet since returning to the Burrow. He'd gone outside to help Bill and Charlie, but when they'd returned inside, he'd stayed out. Ron and Hermuone had gone to him, and the three had talked for half an hour before coming inside.

"It's great to be home, isn't it?" asked Ron, as once agan their mother asked how they were. Hermione smiled and nodded, but Harry had that faraway look on his face. "Harry?"

Harry had looked startled. "What?"

"Great to be home, yeah?" asked Ron.

"Home," Harry had mused quietly, then smiled politely at Mrs Weasley. "Yeah, home."

Ginny sighed in annoyance, finally kicking her bed covers off. She wished she could go and be with Harry, offer some comfort, but they had barely spoken since the battle. She had been among the first to hug him when it was over, then she'd been pushed aside as many hands had reached for him, wanting to touch and congratulate the victor.

Since then she had only seen him from a distance, mostly with Ron and Hermione, but sometimes with Minerva, with Kingsley, even her dad. The one time she had spotted him alone outside, he was heading to Hagrid's hut, and she didn't want to intrude on that reunion.

Giving up on sleep for the immediate future, Ginny decided to go down and get a drink. The urge to fly was great but she knew she couldn't outfly her emotions.

She was surprised to find the house was in darkness downstairs, it appeared everyone had retired, although Bill and Fleur had probably returned to Shell Cottage. She stepped off the last stair and was about to head for the kitchen when she realised not everyone had gone to bed.

Harry sat in the darkness, lost in thought. She felt a momentary pang of anger towards Ron and Hermione for leaving him alone, but it quickly passed.

Forgetting her drink, she walked over to Harry, sitting next to him. She faced him, gently touching his arm. "Harry?"

She had to call his name again before he blinked and focused. "Ginny?" He seemed surprised to see her.

"Harry, it's eleven o'clock. Everyone's in bed," she told him softly.

"I can't sleep," he said.

"You need to try, you've been busy all day, helping with the wards and stuff. Lie down, I'll stay with you till you fall asleep," she offered.

He said nothing, just looked at her as if memorising her face. "Ginny," he whispered, almost brokenly.

She was sure she only imagined the longing in his voice. "It's all right, Harry, you're home," she soothed.

"Home," he repeated softly, his eyes never leaving hers.

Ginny ached to brush his hair off his forehead, to hold him, to assure him he could rest, their world was, for tonight anyway, at peace. She shifted slightly closer. "Harry..." She couldn't say what she really wanted to, so instead, she added lamely, "thank Merlin you're here."

He replied in a broken whisper, "no-one should have d-"

She pressed her lips against his, mostly so he wouldn't finish that sentence, but mostly because she couldn't stand not to touch him in the way she really wanted to a moment longer.

Harry froze; it had been so long since he had felt the wonderful feeling of Ginny's lips against his. _Too long,_ his chest monster screamed. Too long.

Ginny realised Harry wasn't kising her back. She reluctantly began to pull away and apologise when she felt it. His lips moved against hers, and it was heavenly. She reached up to cup his chin, and their lips shifted postion, but didn't separate. Their lips met over and over, slowly as if wanting to remember those wonderful first kisses all over again.

Finally they pulled away from each other, and Ginny dropped her hand. His hand reached up to _her_ cheek, caressing gently as he noted bruises and the shadows under her eyes. "I'm sorry," he said gently.

She put her hand up to cover his on her cheek, leaning in to his touch, her eyes closed to stop the tears. _Not now, damnit. "_ Don't be sorry," she told him, looking into his eyes, "you're here. Right now, that's enough."

"There's so much I want to tell you," he confessed.

"Not tonight," she said and she gathered him in her arms. "Tonight I just need you."

They buried their heads on each others shoulders, relishing the nearness, the closeness. Ginny inhaled his manly scent, while Harry ran his fingers through her hair. For tonight, for now, it was enough.

They were home.


	32. Chapter 32 Pinch

Harry exited the Floo, looking around for his wife. They were attending a Quidditch function and he was late, having been caught up at work. Ginny, being the best wife ever, had sent over his suit and told him she'd meet him there. Speaking of, he could see her at the cloak room. It looked like she had just arrived, as she was still wearing her cloak. He walked up behind her, slipping an arm around her waist. "Hey, I'm here."

She looked up, startled at first, then relaxed when she saw her husband. "Hi, you weren't too late after all. Did the meeting finish early?"

"I snuck out. Hermione can fill me in tomorrow," he said. "Can I take your cloak?"

"Thanks," she said, and slipped it off her shoulders. She turned to take it from him, then hand it the cloak room attendant. He handed her a ticket so she could reclaim her cloak later.

Harry's jaw dropped open. "What the bloody hell is that?"

Ginny stopped and looked down. "What, this old thing? It's my dress for the party tonight."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, I don't think so."

"You don't like it?" she asked, coyly.

"I fucking love it. So let's go home and you can put something else on. One that preferrably covers everything," he ordered. "Or better yet, we'll just stay home and I'll take it off you myself."

Ginny crossed her arms. "Are you telling me I can't wear this dress to the party?"

Harry sighed in relief. "Yes."

There was no way in hell he was taking her into the party in that little black halter neck dress, with a bunch of randy Quidditch players. They may slag Ginny off during their matches, with their verbal bullshit, but he had seen them checking her out. And in that particular dress, there was a lot to check out.

Ginny just laughed him off. "You're being silly. First of all, everyone knows we're married, so you can cut out all the possessive bullshit. Second of all, I like this dress. Makes me feel sexy...hot."

"You don't need a dress for that, you are so fucking sexy and hot," said Harry, practically growling as she turned around and he spotted her Snitch tattoo on her bare shoulders. Weird it may be, but he loved her shoulders.

"Thank you. Now stop with the growling, slap a smile on that gorgeous face and let's go," said Ginny, slipping her hand into his. Her wand was in her other hand.

They pushed through the doors to get into the party. "Listen, when I wink at you, you'll know I'm ready to leave," she told him.

"You won't need to wink, I am _not_ leaving your side all night," he told her, slipping an arm around her waist to pull her closer. She was already garnering admiring looks, from both wizards and witches and they'd barely stepped foot into the party.

Her Harpy teammates came over, surrounding her and somehow, Harry found himself separated from her within seconds of them arriving.

"Ginny, that dress is to die for," squealed Cassie, her co-Chaser.

"Girls, we all look amazing tonight," agreed Nikki, the Harpy beater.

"Wait till Ben Sheldon sees you in that dress, he'll regret slagging you off last week," teased Mary, their Seeker.

They all turned to see The Ballycastle beater who had tailed Ginny all last week during their match. Harry fumed to see him eyeing his wife up and down before raising his glass to her with a smirk. It wasn't hard to know what he was thinking.

Ginny turned away, rolling her eyes. "He's an absolute tosser. I told him he was like a hemorrhoid, a pain in the arse who wouldn't go away."

Her teammates snorted and laughed. Harry didn't find it amusing at all. He knew slagging was a part of the game, to put one's opponent off, especially if they were playing well. And Ginny had been on fire lately.

"He thinks he's all that," smirked Lynley, another Harpy Beater. "If only he knew what we really think of him."

"I don't know about you lot, but I get tired of all the lesbian jokes," sighed Nikki.

"I know, I mean, I'm married, for Merlin's sake," agreed Ginny.

" _Happily_ married," interjected Harry.

The women all turned and looked at him. "Hi Harry, didn't see you there," greeted Cassie.

"I've been right here," said Harry. "Gin, can I get you a drink?" The bar wasn't too far away; it shouldn't take too long. He felt comfortable leaving her for the two minutes it should take to get the drinks.

"Firewhiskey thanks, love," said Ginny.

"Harry, can you get me one, too?" asked Cassie.

"I'd love one of those Muggle cocktails," giggled Nikki.

"Champagne for me, thanks, Harry," said Gwenog, joining her team. "Ladies, we need to circulate."

"I'll wait for Harry," said Ginny.

"He'll come find you when he's got our drinks...right, Harry," said Gwenog. Without waiting for an answer, she steered Ginny and the girls away to the middle of the room.

Grumbling under his breath about coaches stealing wives, he ordered the women their drinks and turned to lean on the bar while he waited. His eyes sought Ginny, zeroing in on her immediately.

That dress was amazing, he had to admit. And once they got home, he planned to rip it off her immediately, making sure it never saw the light of day again; it was for his eyes only. It was form fitting, showcasing her toned figure, especially her shoulders and arms, and it made her legs look like they went on forever, especially with the heels on those shoes. He couldn't wait to have those legs wrapped around his waist later that night and he was getting hard just thinking about it.

As he watched on, that Sheldon creep sidled up to her. Obviously he couldn't hear what he said to _his_ wife, but a look of disgust came over Ginny's face before she said something to him that made him pale and look shaken.

Forgetting about the drinks, Harry pushed through the crowd to get to his wife. Screw this, he was taking her home, away from the jerks hitting on her.

"Hey, Harry, how are you?"

He was stopped mometarily by Josh Thomas, a team mate of Oliver Wood's who he had met at Oliver's last birthday party. "Oh, hey, Josh, how are you?" he asked, trying to keep an eye on Ginny, who was now being led over to another group of Quidditch players from the Appleby Arrows.

"I'm good. You look nice tonight, so handsome," admired Josh.

"Thanks, you too. Listen, I really – " began Harry, as one of the Appleby Beaters put his arm around Ginny's shoulders.

"You think so?" asked Josh, hopefully.

Harry saw Ginny shrug the guy's arm off her shoulder with a cutting remark. She then wandered off yet again, and he lost her in the crowd.

"You know, Harry, I've heard a lot of the Harpy players are lesbians. Is that true?" asked Josh. He hesitated. "Has Ginny ever..."

Harry's head finally caught up with the conversation. "What? No! She's my wife," he blurted out.

Josh shrugged. "People marry for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes a guy will marry a woman just to cover up his true leanings...if you know what I mean," he said meaningful to Harry.

"Er, I don't think I do, sorry. I just really have to find Ginny," said Harry, trying to get away from this bizarre conversation and find his wife. It was definitely time to go.

"Do you, Harry, really?" asked Josh, suddenly closer than before. He brushed away an invisible piece of lint off Harry's chest, his hand lingering.

He suddenly realised what Josh was trying to say. To his embarassment he blushed. "Er, Josh, I –"

"Hey Josh. Harry, good to see you." They were interrupted by Oliver Wood.

"Oliver, nice to see you, too," said a relieved Harry.

"Ollie," nodded Josh, taking a step back. He was not at all happy about the interruption.

"Grab us a couple of glasses of champagne, will you, Josh?" asked Oliver, motioning to the waiter behind Josh.

Josh turned to grab two glasses. Oliver took advantage of his momentary distraction to whisper to Harry. "Ginny sent me over to rescue you." He nodded towards the back of the room.

Harry turned to see his wife smirking at him. Then she winked at him. He scow _l_ ed, thinking she was making fun of him. Then it hit him. That was their signal. _Yes!_

Josh turned back to him and Oliver, handing them a glass of champagne. Harry had never cared for the taste, but he tossed it back like it was water. " Sorry, fellas, my wife is looking for me. Good to see you both again."

Without waiting for a reply, and sure Oliver would understand, he simply left, heading for the exit. He knew Ginny would meet him there. He jumped when he felt somebody pinch his arse, but he didn't stop to look back to see who it was.

It wasn't the only pinch he received as he made his way through the crowd, and he was sure his arse would be bruised tomorrow. He burst through the doors, looking around for Ginny, but she wasn't there yet.

He strode to the cloakroom. " Cloak for Ginny Potter, please?" he asked.

"Do you have your ticket?" asked the bored cloakroom attendant.

"Do you want to get arrested?" asked a terse Harry. "I'm Head Auror, I can make it happen."

"Jeez, man, I'm just doing my job," claimed the attendant. He left and returned moments later, handing over Ginny's cloak.

"Thanks...and I apologise. You just wouldn't believe the things going on in there," said Harry, taking the cloak.

"You should see what goes on back here," gestured the attendant dryly, screwing up his nose.

Harry really didn't want to know, he just wanted to grab Ginny and go home. "I'm just going...over here," he said, and the attendant simply shrugged.

He just made it to the door when Ginny stepped out, although she was snapping at someone back in the room. "Yeah, well, you can shut your mouth, Jensen," she was saying , "My heels are bigger than your dick," she snapped, and turned her head.

Harry was right there waiting. "Can we please get the hell out of here?" he begged, putting her cloak over her shoulders.

"Merlin, it's like a meat market in there," she said.

"Tell me about it," he said dryly. "Thanks for sending Oliver over."

She grinned. "So Josh finally put the hard word on you, did he?"

Harry grimaced. " Can we please not talk about that."

"Sure, I guess we can continue this conversation Sunday night at the Burrow. I'm sure Ron and George would love to weigh in on your boyfriend."

"No," groaned Harry. "They'll take the piss."

"Never mind love, I stopped and spoke to Josh on my way out before I was accosted by that jerk, Jensen. I politely but firmly told Josh he could look at my husband but he wasn't allowed to touch," she said.

He leaned down to kiss her. "My hero."

She laughed. "How many propositions did you get tonight?" she asked, as they headed for the Floo.

"Only one."

"Ha, I got three. Four, if you count the one that was for both of us," she quipped.

"Both of us, really? From who?" he asked.

She looked around; there were other people nearby. She tugged lightly on his arm and he leaned his head down for her to whisper in it. "Really? I had no idea she was into that sort of thing," he commented.

"I'd heard rumours. So, technically, four to two, I win," boasted Ginny.

"How many pinches on the arse did you get?" he asked.

"Umm, two, no, three," corrected Ginny.

"Aw, I got six. I win," boasted Harry.

"Well, it _is_ a glorious arse," agreed Ginny, and she pinched him again. "Seven."

"Ow, that's going to be black and blue tomorrow," he complained.

"Aw, want me to kiss it better?" she asked coyly.

"Now you're talking," sighed Harry, throwing down the Floo powder and calling out their house's name. "Did I mention you're never leaving the house wearing that dress again?"

She threw her cloak on the sofa, kicked off her heels and sauntered down the hall, while he closed down the Floo for the night. By the time he had turned back and taken off his jacket, she had undone the clasp at the neck and the zipper at her lower back. She stepped out of it, and continued on her way to their bedroom. "Whatever you say, husband."

He was no fool, if she wanted to wear the dress again, she would. But he was so turned on right now, she could have recited the alphabet and it would have the same reaction. As he hurried after her, she disappeared into their bedroom, tossing silky green knickers out into the hall. "Hey, I wanted to rip that dress off you," he complained, remembering his plan.

"And that's why I wore it," she told him cheekily.


	33. Chapter 33 Sweetheart

So," drawled Ginny, "my sweetheart?" She was leaning against the door jamb, Arnold the Pygmy Puff sitting on her shoulder.

Harry, who had been just leaving the bedroom he shared with Ron, turned at the sound of her voice. "Er, sorry, what did you call me?" he asked, heart pounding. He had realised his feelings for Ginny were _very_ different than what he felt for Hermione, his only other closest female friend. _Could she possibly feel the same about him?_

"My Sweetheart," teased Ginny. "Ron's present from Lavender," she clarified.

"Oh, yeah, right," he said, then shivered, remembering the look of horror he was sure was on both his and Ron's face when Ron opened the present.

"I can call you my sweeheart if you want, it could be my Christmas present to you...Har-Har," she giggled.

He grimaced. "Let's not go that far, Gin-Gin. Actually, that's cute," he realised. _Just like you,_ he longed to say.

She snorted. "Call me that even once and you'll be getting a Bat Bogey Hex for Christmas," she warned him.

He held up his hands in surrender, and they began to walk down the stairs for breakfast. "So," she said, " are we agreed that neither of us will mention that atrocity to Hermione?"

Harry nodded. "Although I have a feeling Lavender will let everyone know. You know Hogwarts, nothing stay -"

"Secret forever," the both finished and laughed.

"Still, Hermione has been hurt enough by Ron with all this nonsense. You need to find her as soon as we get back to Hogwarts and tell her," suggested Ginny.

"Me? Why not you?" he asked, never being one for personal talks, especially when it came to feelings between Ron and Hermione.

"They're _your_ best friends, Harry," reminded Ginny.

"Yeah, well, isn't this more a girl thing," he asked in hope.

"Sure, if you like," shrugged Ginny. "But next time Hermione comes to me asking about potions for cramps and contraceptives, I'll send her to you, shall I?"

He wasn't going to even touch that subject. "Fine, Ginny," he sighed, "you win."

She patted his cheek. "That's my sweetheart." She walked downstairs to help her mum set the table.

Harry put his hand on his cheek. My Sweetheart.

If Only.


	34. Chapter 34 Nightmare

Ginny woke to what sounded like a whimper. She waited, and heard Harry breathing heavily. She turned; he was lying flat on his back, his head tossing and turning. She could tell he was already deep into the familiar nightmare that had plagued him since the battle.

"No...no," he mumbled, a sheen of perspiration beading on his forehead. His hands were clenched and his eyes screwed shut. "Please," he whispered painfully, "not Ginny."

With a gasp he opened his eyes. She immediately took him in her arms, pressing her lips to the side of his face as she tenderly stroked his face and hair. "Ssh," she crooned.

He was still trapped in the end of the nightmare, staring over her shoulder with unseeing eyes. Instead his mind saw the same terrible images over and over and over.

 _His father lying at the bottom of the stairs, his mother lying in front of a cot, Cedric lying on the grass in an old cemetery. Sirius, falling through the veil, Dumbledore, falling from the tower, then a crumpled mess on the ground. Fred killed by a falling walll, Dobby dying in his arms._

Then his mind began playing more tricks on him, haunting him by showing his fears. _Hermione, tortured to death at Mafloy Manor. Ron, struck down trying to get to her. The Burrow set on fire, with all the family trapped inside, calling for help. His help._

Hard to believe it could get even worse. _Teddy, sweet little Teddy, stolen from Andromeda and raised as a Death Eater, and Ginny..._

When he got to Ginny, he knew the nightmare was close to ending. Losing everyone he cared for was so hard, but to lose Ginny, it was unthinkable. Yet his mind showed her dying a different way every time.

 _Sometimes it was an AK, her body falling right in front of him. Usually it was more gruesome. Greyback attacking her, leaving behind torn flesh amid so much blood. The Carrows torturing her, branding her a blood traitor. Bellatrix playing with her, as she had done with Hermione. Voldemort himself taking her, taunting Harry by telling him that she had never loved him, that Ginny had always belonged to him._

He screwed his eyes shut, banishing the images, the thoughts. He breathed fast, as if he had run a mile. "Ginny...Gin," he moaned.

He returned to the present, opening troubled eyes. "Ssh, Harry, it's over," she said gently. "Everything's okay now."

He closed his eyes at her touch, feeling her press her lips to his cheek, his forehead. Tears ran down his cheeks, but he felt no shame in showing her his weakness. She understood in a way nobody else could, and it was only to her that he had told absolutely everything and she, him. They had no secrets from each other.

She carefully rolled onto her back, bringing him with her. He clung to her like a lifeline, his head on her chest, needing to feel her heartbeat under his touch. She was here, she was alive, she was the only real thing to him right now.

Ginny knew he would cling to her all night, and would be quiet and keep close to her the next day. Thankfully they had a rare day off together, and had planned to join her family at the Burrow, but that would be too much for him after this. Perhaps they could have Teddy over tomorrow, instead. The little guy always made Harry feel better. She would see how Harry was when he woke up, let him dictate the day.

She continued to softly caress him, until his breathing evened out and she knew he was asleep. He rarely had more than one nightmare in the one night, so she felt okay about allowing herself to follow him into slumber.

And they slept.

A/N I hadn't intended to write anything for this work, as I felt the drawings spoke for itself, but this came to me, I hope I did it justice. Brilliant artwork again from Bianca.


	35. Chapter 35 Birth

Harry exited the fireplace, finding himself in the Burrow's large lounge. He immediately looked for his wife, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Harry, dear, there you are. We hoped you wouldn't get held up at work," greeted Molly, his mother-in-law. "Ginny's outside."

"Thanks, Molly, dinner smells delicious," he said, removing his Auror cloak as he moved past her, intent on finding Ginny. He stepped outside, already leaving his work worries behind as he saw most of his family gathered outside, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. He took three steps out when someone spotted him.

"Harry!" It was Teddy, running straight for him. He had been staying with him and Ginny for the weekend, when Harry had been called in to the office for a case.

"But Teddy, we was swinging," protested Victoire.

"He'll be back, stay with your sister," soothed Bill, gently pushing Dominique on the swing.

Teddy launched himself at Harry, who crouched to pick him up and settle him on his hips. "Harry, you been gone so long," complained Teddy.

"Did you watch over Ginny and the baby for me, Teddy?" asked Harry, tickling his godson.

Teddy erupted in giggles, squirming to get away from Harry's fingers. 'Harry, stop, stop," he cried. He looked over Harry's shoulder. "Help me, Ginny."

Harry turned with Teddy in his arms, to see his heavily pregnant wife coming towards them. "Hey, you," she greeted.

"Feeling okay?" he asked, his hand coming out to cup her baby bulge. "No sign of the baby coming?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, and I'm trying hard not to think about how the baby is coming out." She winced at the thought, and at the spasm of pain.

"I know, I know," said Teddy. "The baby gets bigger and bigger and you become a balloon, so you have to be careful cause they can fly. I know it because Harry saw a woman balloon but she wasn't pregnant, just very big like the baby inside your belly," he explained.

"What?" asked Ginny, exchanging an amused smile with Harry.

Teddy nodded. "And then it explodes and the baby is born," finished Teddy, with a look at Harry. He frowned when Harry looked unsure. Had he got it wrong?

"Well then," said Ginny, taking a deep breath, breathing through the pain.

"Dinner," called Molly.

"Thank Merlin," sighed Harry, and he put Teddy down. The boy ran to Victoire and Dominique and they all raced to the house, the youngest toddling after the older two.

Harry put his arm around Ginny's expanded waist and they slowly walked up to the house. There they were greeted by the rest of the ever growing Weasley family.

"Harry," said Ron, pulling out two chairs for Harry and Ginny to sit near Teddy. Molly dished food to the children first and they began eating as the adults seated themselves.

Ginny thankfully sank onto the chair, rubbing her belly. "He's kicking so hard," she announced.

Harry placed his hand on her belly and commented, " Wow."

"What I don't understand is how the baby got in there in the first place," announced Teddy. He looked at Harry. "I asked Grandpa Arthur and Uncle Bill, Uncle George _and_ Uncle Ron. They said I should ask you but I said I didn't think you knew."

Ron and George snickered as Harry flushed. "Well, you see, Teddy..." He paused.

"Yes?" asked Teddy, when Harry stopped, unsure how to go on.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," sighed Ginny. " Teddy, a wizard stirs his wand in a witch's cauldron and in the special potion, they make a baby. It take nine months for the baby to grow and then it's born."

"Oh." Teddy pondered it for a moment, then nodded. " Okay." He continued to eat his dinner.

"Nice one, Ginny," grinned Bill. Fleur and Hermione nodded approvingly too.

The meal continued as a normal Weasley meal did, that is, with many topics covered and much teasing. Until Teddy had another question.

"So how _will_ the baby come out?" he asked, determined to find the correct answer.

Ginny patted Harry on the back. "I'll leave that one for you, dear."

Teddy put his chin in his hand and looked at Harry thoughtfully. Ron, George and Bill copied him, all looking eagerly at Harry. Harry sighed; they were no help.

"Arthur," said Harry, looking at his father-in-law, his last hope. " Any suggestions?"

Before Arthur could speak, Teddy piped up. "Will Ginny have to go away?"

"What do you mean, Teddy?" asked Harry, confused.

"My Gran said something about Ginny's 'china. Does she have to go there to get the baby?" asked Teddy.

He wondered why the whole table started laughing.

"I think Harry went to Ginny's 'china," sniggered George. Angelina nudged him in reproach, as she tried to keep a straight face.

"Perhaps we should let Andromeda explain," suggested Ginny quietly to Harry.

He exhaled in relief. "I really like that idea," admitted Harry. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Is Ginny's china fun to visit?" asked Teddy. Ginny and Harry had taken him to Brighton once and they'd had a lot of fun.

"Harry obviously thinks so," noted Ron, making George, and Angelina laugh. Even Ginny and Hermione were chuckling.

Harry flushed and let his head fall to the table with a thud.

Arthur patted his back sympathetically.


	36. Chapter 36 Holiday

Set after the events of Cursed Child.

Draco knelt to see Harry Potter's head in his fireplace.

"Potter? Why are you calling me at this late hour?" He desperately hoped it was nothing to do with Scorpius and Albus; hadn't they been through enough?

"I need your help and co-operation, Malfoy. I've done something bad, very bad," said Harry, clearly agitated.

Draco became alert. "Put the corpse on ice, I'm on my way."

Harry looked taken aback. "What? No, it's not...why would I -"

"Just get your arse over here, Draco," called Ginny, from behind Harry.

"Why would you even say that, Draco?" asked Harry, aghast.

Draco sighed. Potter obviously had no sense of humour. Then again, he was head of the Auror department. "It was a joke, Potter. Just tell me, are our sons all right?" he demanded.

"They're fine, Draco. Look, just come over, all right? Ron and Hermione are here too," informed Harry.

"Oh, this is getting better and better," sighed Draco. "Very well, I shall be there momentarily," he told Harry, in resignation. He doused the flames to go and grab his cloak.

"Momentarily?" mimicked Ron, "What a ponce." He angrily attacked his chicken leg.

Hermione rolled her eyes and exchanged an amused look with Harry.

"You have to be the one to tell him, Harry," said Ginny.

"Me, why me?" gulped Harry.

"Because you did this," chorused Ron, Hermione and Ginny. They turned to see Draco step out of the Potter fireplace.

"Right, I'm here. What is the emergency?" he asked.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked at Harry, causing Draco to do so, too. "Well, you see..." began Harry. He hesitated.

Draco sighed, tapping his foot impatiently. "Sometime tonight, Potter?"

"We've booked a trip for the upcoming summer holidays and we'd like Scorpius to join us," said Harry.

"Oh. Well, thank you, that's very nice of you. If Scorpius would like to go, of course I give my consent," agreed Draco.

"Good, that's good," nodded Harry. Ginny cleared her throat, gesturing for Harry to continue. "And, well..."

"Yes?" encouraged Draco.

"We," - Ginny and Ron coughed, so he amended quickly, " that is, _I_ kind of booked you to come with us too."

"Oh." That was a surprise. "Well, thank you, Potter. May I enquire where we will be going?"

"Disneyland. The happiest place on Earth."

There was silence till Ginny snickered. "Oh, Draco, your face," she giggled.

Draco sighed in relief. "Oh, it was a joke, right?"

Hermione was laughing, while Ron looked smug. So Draco looked to Harry. "Actually, no. We're going to Disneyland, all of us. California for two weeks," he announced.

"I volunteer Ron to sit next to Draco on the aeroplane ride over," said Ginny.

Ron turned to Ginny and scowled. "Well, I volunteer Ginny to sit next to Malfoy on that ride - ' _It's a Small World',_ " he said, shooting his sister a triumphant look.

"Is that the ride that goes in the tunnels?" clarified Ginny.

Hermione nodded. Ron grinned. "It's really dark. Give you any ideas, Ginny?"

Ginny shrugged. "Sure. If I was sitting with you, nobody would see me push you over," she told her brother.

Harry put his hand up. "I think Ginny should sit with Ron on the tunnel ride. All those in favour?"

Draco put his hand up and to Ron's surprise, so did Hermione. He scowled back at Ginny. She grinned cheekily. "You have no idea what I'm capable of," she told him.

He opened his mouth to retort, but Hermione stepped in. "Now, now, we're going to make this a lovely family holiday. Let us proceed with caution and empathy." She said the last as a warning to Ron, whilst also shooting a look at Draco.

Harry snorted. "We've never tried it before, maybe it will work." Ginny laughed, and the two high fived.

"You two are the worst," complained Ron, looking at them.

"Perhaps they should go on the tunnel ride together then, handcuff them so they can't escape, or drown each other," suggested Draco. "Who do we know has handcuffs," he quipped.

"Well, Harry and I – " began Ginny.

Harry elbowed her, flushing.

" – wouldn't know," finished Ginny, smirking.

"That was convincing," said Hermione, dryly.

"Hermione," said Draco, hoping to change the topic, " are you sure you're able to take so much time off? I hear you're usually in the Ministry very early till quite late at night."

"It's okay, Draco, even Hermione's has to shut down and re-boot sometime," explained Harry.

"Huh?"

"Pardon?"

"It's a computer reference, Ron, Draco," explained Hermione. "Seriously I could do with a holiday, after the last year we've had."

They all nodded, thinking back to the horrible events of the last year.

"Then it's settled. The Potters, Weasley and Malfoys are going to America!" said Ginny.

"I prefer the Malfoys, the Potters and Weasleys are going to America," corrected Draco, smugly. "Alphabetical order, and all."

"Oh boy," muttered Ron, "this trip is so set to fail."

Two months later – at LA Airport.

"So," said Ron, slapping Harry on the back, "all in all, a successful trip," he said. He and Hermione had had plenty of down time together, and the kids had a great time, exploring California with the Potters and Malfoys.

Hermione rushed over. "I can't find Malfoy!" she exclaimed, looking this way and that at the bustling airport with huge crowds. James and Lily began to search. Rose and Hugo sat watching people walk past.

Ron's grin grew wider. "Yep, a 100 % successful trip," he sighed in satisfaction.

"Found him," said Ginny, joining them with Draco trailing behind her.

Albus and Scorpius joined them too. Albus surprised Harry by hugging him. "Thanks, Dad, it was a great holiday." Harry patted his back.

Scorpius looked longingly at Draco. "Very well, we may hug for four to five seconds," allowed Draco, opening his arms wide.

Scorius beamed. "Forty five seconds, wow. Thanks, Dad." He stepped into his father's embrace, holding on tightly.

Draco smiled, despite himself. "So this is what we do now, we hug?" He closed his arms around his son.

"I really, really like it, Dad," said Scorpius, his voice muffled against his father's chest.

"Me too, Dad," said Albus, still holding on to Harry.

"Yes, a 100% successful trip," whispered Ginny to Hermione.

"Gin...where are James and Lily?" asked Harry.

"Crap!"


	37. Chapter 37 Lunch Dates

Harry and Hermione hurried to meet up with their friends at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry and Ron were Auror trainees and Hermione was working at the Department and Regulation for Control of Magical Creatures.

"But why isn't Ronald with you?" asked Hermione, hurrying to keep up with Harry.

Harry shrugged, eager to see Ginny. "I told you, our trainer asked him to stay back for a chat, that's all I know."

"Oh, dear, that doesn't sound good. Perhaps we should go back and wait for him," she suggested, biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Hermione, it's our lunch hour, I'm hungry and I want to see Ginny,' protested Harry.

"Besides, he said he'd meet us here."

"Fine," huffed Hermione, as he stood aside for her to enter ahead of him. "Oh, there she is – and with Luna and Neville too. Hey, guys," she called, making her way to a large booth that held their friends.

She deliberately slid in next to Luna, leaving Harry to slide next to Ginny. He put his arm around her and she snuggled against him.

"Hi," she said, tilting her head to accept his kiss. "Happy Valentine's Day, lover."

Harry grinned while Hermione looked annoyed. "You're lucky Ron isn't here to hear you say that," she admonished.

Ginny shrugged unrepentantly, while Neville groaned. "There she is, she's absolutely perfect. I bet she has a date for Valentine's day,' he said gloomily, eyeing Hannah Abbot, who worked at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Go and ask her," encouraged Ginny.

Neville shook his head, slumping further into the booth. "I hate being single on Valentine's Day. What would I even say to her?"

"Ask Ginny, she's an expert on Valentine's day. Gin, got any poem ideas?" teased Harry.

Ginny nudged him and he grabbed his stomach in exaggeration.

"I've heard of some popular ones," offered Luna. 'Roses are red, violets are blue -"

Ginny interrupted. "Firewhiskey is cheaper than dinner for two."

Both Harry and Ginny dissolved into laughter. "Good thing _I'm_ cooking dinner for us at home tonight," he said, and she nodded.

Harry looked at Neville, who looked terrible as he watched Hannah flirt with the customers. "Go on, Nev, go and ask her. What's the worst that could happen?"

Neville took a deep breath, nodded and stood, determined to talk to Hannah. They all watched as he approached her, the two talking easily till Neville said something, she replied and Neville nodded. His face bright red, he half bowed and hurried out of the Leaky Cauldron, not even sparing his friends a goodbye wave, let alone an explanation.

Harry coughed, embarassed for his friend. "Well clearly I am not cut out to help people make life choices," he said.

"Don't say that, you helped me choose you," replied Ginny, cupping his cheek.

He looked down at her, his eyes full of love. "Okay, well, that time I was a genius."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Harry, you're clearly the smart one." They were interrupted by Hannah coming over to take their orders, clearly uncomfortable when Luna mentioned Neville. She promised to return soon with their food.

"So, what do I bring to the table?" asked Luna, curiously. At their blank looks, she clarified, " if Harry is the smart one."

Ginny grabbed Luna's hand. "That's easy. "You're the cool one, Luna. I'm the hot one, Hermione is the smart one and Harry is the cute one."

Hermione, who had just taken a drink of water, snorted. "Sorry," she apologised, reaching for a napkin. "Why am I always the smart one?" she complained.

"Because you're Hermione," chorused Harry and Ginny together. They high fived each other.

"We are so -"

"in sync -"

that we finish -"

each other's sentences."

Hermione looked faint. "That was...disturbing," she finally decided.

"I liked it," smiled Luna.

"We rehearsed it," admitted Ginny.

"At home, last night," agreed Harry.

"Naked...in bed," finished Ginny.

"Who's naked in bed?" asked Ron, sliding into the booth next to Hermione. He planted a kiss on her cheek, then looked at his best friend and his sister. "Ugh, no, no naked talk before I eat." He scowled.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ronald. You too, Hermione, Harry and Ginny," said Luna. "I really should go. I guess Ron is now the cool one. Goodbye." She waved to them all, then spoke to Hannah before leaving.

"Ron – the cool one? Merlin!" Ginny pretended to be shocked. When Hannah placed their lunches in front of them, Ron nicked one of Ginny's chips in defiance.

"So why did the trainers want to talk to you, Ronald?" asked Hermione, unwrapping her sandwich and trying to ignore Harry and Ginny kissing in between bites of their food.

"I failed the Auror Safety course today," he told her gloomily.

Harry looked at him in surprise. "Why, what happened?"

"Well, one of the questions was ' _in case of fire, what steps would you take?'_ Apparantly fucking large ones wasn't an acceptable answer," he said grumpily.

"Oh, Ron," sighed Hermione, " you didn't."

"Yeah, I did. I'm an idiot." He waited for his girlfriend, his best friend, his sister to deny it, but there was just silence. He chanced a side look at Hermione.

She did not look amused. "If you're waiting for us to disagree, you'll be here till Christmas."

Ron looked miserable. "I'm having such a bad day. After lunch I have to report to the trainer for combat training."

"Merlin, our Valentine's day night will be spent visiting Ron at the hospital," sighed Ginny.

Her brother looked annoyed again. "Yeah, well, you don't have to visit. I remember when we were really little, we went to the hospital and all you did was cry, cry, cry," he growled.

"Gee Ron, was that because I had just been born?" snapped Ginny in reply.

"Come on, you two, stop bickering like, like..." Hermione tried to think of a tactful analogy.

"Siblings?" asked Ginny dryly. "No offense, Hermione, but you just don't get sibling relationships."

"Especially our family," muttered Ron.

"Your family certainly has...interesting dynamics,." agreed Harry, trying to keep the peace. He hated being caught between Ginny and Ron, just as much as he had hated being caught between Ron and Hermione over the years. "So, who are you fighting?"

Ron still looked gloomy. "Michaels," he replied, referring to another of their trainees. "The guy is like five feet five, I feel really bad for him. Anyone under five foot nine can't talk about fighting. Like, what is he going to do, headbutt my nipples?" he added sarcastically.

"Say goodbye to your knee caps, asshole," snapped Ginny. "Harry, I need to go and find this Michaels, tell him how to beat Ron." She glared at her brother.

"You are so tiny and adorable," gushed Harry.

"I could kick _your_ arse right now," she growled, not in a mood to be appeased.

He looked at her with love in his eyes. "I know," he told her.

"Oh, brother," sighed Ron.

Ginny smiled smugly at Ron, who rolled his eyes. "Mate, can I give you some advice?" he asked.

"Absolutely not," chorused Hermione and Ginny.

"Thanks, mate, but unfortunately, I have to head back. Hermione, you coming?" Harry replied, after checking his watch.

She shook her head. "I think I'll stay a bit longer, and lunch with Ron."

Harry and Ginny stood. "I'll walk with you a bit, I want to visit George," offered Ginny.

"Great, and I'll be home later for our special night," agreed Harry, leaving some galleons on the table to cover his share of the bill.

"Don't do anything dangerous," warned Ginny.

Harry smiled at her. "You and I both know that's asking too much, love."

She nodded, grinning."You're right, it is asking a bit much. Well, don't get hurt. I have plans for this body tonight."

They waved to Ron and Hermione and walked out, ignoring the whispers that followed them everywhere.

"What about you, Hermione, do you have plans for _my_ body tonight?" teased Ron. He lowered his voice in what he thought was a sexy tone. "I love it when you moan during sex."

"I do NOT moan, Ronald," whispered Hermione, blushing.

"Yeah, you do," said Ron. He put his mouth to her ear so only she could hear. "Usually it's the word yes...or deeper. Sometimes its a combination of the two," he told her.

Hermione pulled away and looked at him. "Yeeper?" she asked, teasing him back.

Ron looked confused. "Huh?"

"Never mind. Come on, let's get back to the Ministry. Don't _you_ do anything dangerous," she taunted, mimicking Ginny's plea to Harry.

"Hey, Hermione, relax," said Ron. "It's me."

"Yeah," sighed Hermione, "That's what I'm afaid of."

Later that night:

Hannah returned from her Valentine's date with one of her regular customers who had been quite persistant in his endeavour to take her out. She had declined his invitation to come in for coffee, thorougly relieved the date was over. As she kicked off her shoes and made her way into the tiny room she rented from Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, she felt another pang of regret that she had had to turn Neville Longbottom down.

She had liked him for ages, forging a respect for him in the year from hell under the Carrows at Hogwarts. Working closely together in running the DA, they had grown a close bond, the four of them – Neville, Ginny, Hannah and Luna. She remembered the shy boy Neville used to be; she had seen that shy boy again earlier today, when he blushed and mumbled, asking her for a date.

She had wanted to grab him, to shake him – why now? Why now, when she had already agreed to a date with another guy? But...could this mean...dare she hope Neville was ready to give their friendship a chance to grow into something more?

She changed into her pyjamas, mentally thinking about the day ahead of her tomorrow. She would be up early for the opening shift, finishing at lunch time. Then she had a few chores to run; hardly exciting. Suddenly there was a tapping at the window. Not expecting to hear from anyone at this late hour, she warily approached, surprised to see an owl bearing a magnificent rose in its talons.

She opened the window and the owl flew in, hooting gratefully. She thanked him, taking the owl and the accompanying note. He flew off before she could even offer him a treat or some water.

The rose's magnificent scent filled her room and she sniffed it as she opened the scroll. Her eyes went to the signature at the bottom and her heart jumped.

It was from Neville, daring to hope her date _hadn't_ gone well and she was free to have dinner with him tomorrow night.

Suddenly, her day tomorrow looked full of wonderful possibilities.

And from that year on, and for many years after, Neville and Hannah would always celebrate Valentine's Day on February 15th.


	38. Chapter 38 Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Harry happily entered his home. "Gin?" he called, hanging his cloak in the front closet. He picked up his bag from where he had set it down, and walked further into the house.

"Harry, is that you?" called Ginny. "I'm in your office." She often used his home office to write her articles for the Daily Prophet, preferring to work from home than an office at the paper's headquarters.

Harry came into the office; her face brightened. "You're early...aren't you? Wait, what's wrong?" Her face changed to one of concern.

Harry chuckled. "Nothing is wrong, I simply left work early. All our cases are up to date and all my paperwork is done. So I told Nancy I was leaving and to owl me if anything urgent came up. Otherwise I was starting my weekend early."

Ginny sat back in her chair, studying him. "What?" he asked, self consciously.

She grinned. "Captain United Kingdom does it again. All the bad guys locked up _AND_ your paperwork done. You're my hero!" she teased.

Harry shook his head affectionately. "Other guy's wives love chick flicks, rom coms, but my wife, no, she likes the superhero action movies. Love, I am nothing like Captain America."

Ginny ignored him. "Where's your big green friend?" she asked.

"Ron is hardly the Incredible Hulk, and you know he was only green because you dared him to eat that dubious looking ham sandwich from the cool box," he reminded her. "How long had it been sitting in there?"

Ginny shrugged. "He could have said – Merlin, is that the time? I have to go and pick Lily up from school! Damn, I wanted to have this article written before I left," she moaned.

"Stay here, keep writing, I'll go get Lily from school," he offered. Their daughter Lily Luna was their only child still at home, as both James and Albus were in Scotland at Hogwarts.

"Oh, that _will_ make all the mum's knickers get into a twist, especially Whiny Briony," laughed Ginny.

Harry screwed up his nose. Briony Peterson had initially been quite excited to learn her daughter would be in the same class as Harry and Ginny Potter's daughter, and had pushed for the girls to become friends. Unfortunately, the girls had become rivals, each excelling in different areas. When Lily had beaten Iris Peterson in a maths test, Briony had claimed Lily Potter was getting preferential treatment. A meeting was held between the two sets of parents to diffuse the rapidly growing tension between the girls that had divided their classroom. Ginny, never one to back down in defending her children, had dubbed the mother 'Whiny Briony' in private. She found it amusing that this woman still continued to gush whenever Harry came to school events for Lily.

"Well, it'll be worth it to see Lily's face, she loves it when I go to her school, and soon enough she'll be at Hogwarts with her brothers," said Harry, a trifle sadly.

Ginny nodded, fingering a letter on her desk. "She does love it when you visit her at school. Go on then, you best be off. I may or may not have a surprise for both of you when you return," she said mysteriously.

Harry looked intrigued. "Bet I could make you tell me," he taunted, coming towards her slowly, his eyes twinkling with _that_ look.

She held up one hand. "No, don't come any closer. Go, you have just enough time to change before she gets out of school...and I have work to do." She hunched over her parchments, re-reading what she had written.

Harry frowned but turned away, intending to go upstairs and quickly change into something more casual.

"Harry?"

He stopped at the doorway and turned, his eyebrow raised in query.

She smiled _that_ smile. "You definitely could have made me tell you," she told him softly, and winked, then waved him away.

Harry smiled, feeling seventeen all over again and totally enamoured with a young Ginny Weasley. He quickly changed, called out a farewell to his wife, then went outside, deciding to Apparate to Lily's school.

He took his time walking to Lily's classroom, already seeing a large gathering of women – only women – outside, waiting for their respective children. He rested under the shade of a tree, trying to ignore the sidelong looks and hushed, _and not so hushed,_ whispers. Thankfully, there was no sign of Whiny Briony, er, Briony Peterson.

The bell sounded, and Harry straightened. He smiled to see the children rush out, eager to see their parent and go home to begin their weekend. He brightened when Lily's red hair came into view, as she bounded down the stairs, looking left and right for her mother. Her gaze swung past him before doubling back. His heart leapt at the look of sheer happiness on her face when she realised her dad had come to pick her up.

"Dad!" she called, waving, and headed to him. Her red hair had come out of the pony tail she had when she had left the house that morning, and, unlike her mother, she embraced bold colours in her wardrobe, even if they clashed terribly with her hair. Hence, her lilac tee shirt and pink backpack.

"You're here," she announced, pleased, throwing her arms around his middle. She pulled away. "Is everything all right? Is it Mum, or James, Albus?"

"Everything is fine, Lil," he soothed, as they turned to begin the journey home. He threw her backpack over his shoulder. Harry decided to walk rather than Apparate, seeing as there was no hurry this time. "I finished work early and, seeing as your mum was trying to finish her article, I offered to come pick you up from school."

"Oh." Lily waved goodbye to a couple of her friends. " So everyone is fine. Gran, Grandpa?"

"Yes," said Harry. He decided to change the topic. "How was school?"

"Sooo boring," sighed Lily.

"I bet it wasn't that bad, Lily," reasoned Harry.

"Dad, I don't know how school was in the old days when you and mum went – "

"Your mum was homeschooled by your gran," interrupted Harry.

Lily looked triumphant, stopping to look up at him. "That's because school is so boring!" she declared.

He looked amused. "School isn't boring, Lily. Hogwarts is a school, for example, and you want to go there next year, right?" He felt a sudden pang that all his children would be far away from home after September.

"But at Hogwarts you can learn to make things fly. Today I just learned about gravity," she said grumpily, her face scowled in disappointment.

Harry smiled, her facial expression reminded him of Ginny, when he told his wife the store had been out of her favourite flavour of ice cream and he'd had to get a different one. "Good point," he conceded, "but what goes up, must come down," he told Lily.

They turned the corner, crossing a field, their home in sight. " Come on, I'll race you, Your mum said she had a surprise for us," he confided.

"We should have Apparated then," said Lily, but her eyes were alight with the idea of a race. "Ready, set, GO!"

She took off, racing for home, occasionally looking behind her to see where her dad was. Harry took off after her, running at half pace to let her win. It was worth it for the look in her eyes.

"I win, I win," she gloated, dancing some kind of jig as he huffed his way to the front door. "Mum, where are you?" she called, heading indoors. "I beat Dad in a race home," she crowed.

"Well done, Lily," gloated Ginny, coming down the hall from the office. She hugged her daughter. "Your dad's getting soft, the only thing he chases these days is his own Aurors for their reports" She shot Harry a wink over their daughter's head. "How was school?"

"Boo-rring," drawled Lily. "Dad said you had a surprise for us."

"First of all, any homework?" asked Ginny.

Lily shook her head.

"And you're good to go?" Ginny asked Harry.

He nodded.

"Well then... we've been invited out to dinner," announced Ginny.

" Is that all?" sighed Lily, disappointed. " Who is it? Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, I bet."

"Nope," said Ginny.

"George and Angelina?" asked Harry.

"Not even close," teased Ginny.

Harry and Lily looked at each other, then grabbed Ginny and started tickling her. "Tell us!" demanded Lily.

Ginny slapped Harry's wandering hands away. " Okay, I'll tell," she laughed. "How does dinner in Scotland sound?"

Harry and Lily looked at each other, both coming to the same conclusion together. "Hogwarts!"

Ginny nodded. "Hagrid invited us. I figure if we get there early enough, we can go for a fly. All of us!"

"Will we see Teddy, James and Al?" asked Lily, jumping up and down in excitement.

"-And Vic and Domi and -"

"Lil, if you're going to name _all_ your cousins, you'll be here all night. Go upstairs and change, we'll leave soon," chided Ginny.

Lily bounded up the stairs, whooping at the thought of a trip to Hogwarts to see her brothers, her godbrother and Hagrid.

"Good thing I got off work early," said a suspicious Harry.

"Yes, well, your assistant Nancy and I agreed an early start to the weekend is just what you need," revealed Ginny, impishly. She ran her hands up his chest. "You know, Captain America has a shield, even Thor has a big hammer but you..." She was practically purring.

"What?" he asked.

"That pink back-pack is really doing it for me, if you get my drift," she winked.

He threw back his head and laughed.

A/N recent work from blvnk


	39. Chapter 39 Cocoa

*New art from Bianca means a new ficlet, enjoy!

Harry Potter stirred awake, opening his eyes and staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom. He didn't know what woke him; he looked over at Ginny sleeping peacefully beside him. A rush of love flooded him as he studied her freckled face and arms; he contemplated waking her up by kissing each and every one of them, but a quick glance at his watch showed him it was only just past three in the morning and they had been up till late. Best to let her sleep...for now.

He tried to go back to sleep but his mind was too active, processing the last few days. Two days earlier, he and Ginny had been married on what, Harry could honestly say, was the best day of his life.

Numerous friends had joined the Weasley family at the Burrow to witness their vows and join their celebrations, but each guest was someone important to both of them, in some way or another. No outsiders, no press, just the people who mattered around them.

The reception had been casual, no stuffy sit down dinners, just a huge buffet of food that kept replenishing, thanks to Molly Weasley and a handful of Hogwarts elves. This allowed the newly married couple to really circulate and spend time with their favourite people.

They did keep some traditions. Speeches were made by each brother and an emotional Arthur Weasley, and Harry's heartfelt toast to his wife and her family brought tears to many eyes. They cut the huge cake and Ginny fed the first piece to her new husband, her eyes blazing and promising much as she licked the cream off her fingers. Harry removed her garter and she tossed her bouquet to a beaming Hermione (who denied casting any spells to ensure she would capture the gorgeous bouquet of lillies that Neville had procured).

They had left their guests partying, departing for a luxuious London hotel to spend their first night together as husband and wife. They were expected to catch a Portkey to someplace hot and sunny for the next week, but instead, had snuck home to Grimmauld Place. No-one knew they were there, nobody would bother them, it was just Mr and Mrs Potter, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Harry stirred, memories distracted, as Mother Nature called. He rose from the bed quietly and went to the loo, then decided to go downstairs and get a drink; perhaps some cocoa to help him sleep.

As he waited for the milk to warm – he always preferred making it the Muggle way – he took a look around the kitchen of Grimmauld Place and thought about the many changes they had made to the gloomy domain. Paint and furnishings and Ginny's little touches had made the place quite homey, but it still wasn't quite home, and he doubted it ever would be. There was still the lingering sense of a past that Harry wanted to leave behind, but for now, it was the new memories made there that came to Harry's mind.

Him and Ron living there together during their first year of Auror training; it was like their first year of Hogwarts all over again, two mates together. Both Ron and Harry learned to cook hearty meals, for they both had an appetite after a day of training.

Ginny and Harry had made love for the first time in his bedroom that late August, just before she had returned to Hogwarts for her seventh year. They'd also had a steamy reunion at Christmas time, and found the best way to welcome the New Year in, at Grimmauld Place.

Upon their leaving Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione found a flat together and Ginny moved in to Grimmauld Place. There had been an adjustment from one Weasley to another, and with Ginny's Quidditch schedule, but things had settled down within a couple of months.

Harry made his cocoa and blew on it as he headed back upstairs. He caught sight of a group of photos that Ginny had suggested placing up the staircase wall and he slowed to take them in.

There was Harry, Ron and Hermione with Hagrid in their first year at Hogwarts, and Harry, Ginny and Ron in their Gryffindor Quidditch uniforms, with Luna and her lion's head hat. A photo of the DA showed many of their school friends, and there was a precious photo of the original Order of the Phoenix which was given to Harry from Sirius at Platform 9 ¾. A photo of the entire Weasley family, inculding Harry and Hermione, taken at Bill and Fleur's wedding was the largest on the wall.

But it was artwork from Teddy that really caught his eye. It was one of his first paintings from kindergarten and Ginny had framed it. Teddy had drawn himself with bright blue hair, Harry with a mop of black and Ginny with red hair that touched the ground. Andromeda was drawn too and Teddy had titled it 'My Family', in his childish, sometimes backwards, writing.

It was here at Grimmauld Place that Teddy had taken his first steps and slept through the night the very first time, much to Harry's fear that he had done something wrong to make him sleep so much. There had been sleepovers and forts built, there had been excitement over visits from the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and Father Christmas. And on these very steps, Teddy had taken a fall, in his hurry to see what the jolly man in red had left for him under the huge tree he, Harry and Ginny had decorated.

Harry sunk down on the step, half way up. As he thought about it now, Ginny had also taken a tumble on these stairs, many years ago. This house had seen a lot in its time, both good and bad. So had he.

He sipped his cocoa, completely lost in memories that he didn't hear Ginny's soft footsteps behind him until she lightly touched his head and sat on the step above him, facing him, her back against the stair railings.

"Okay, husband?" she asked softly, causing him to grin at her. _Husband_. It was still sinking in.

"Fine, Mrs Potter," he quipped in reply, and she beamed way too brightly for this time of the morning. "You?"

She shook her head. "The bed is too big without you." She gently stroked his leg, more in comfort than anything. "What are you doing, sitting here at nearly four in the morning?"

"Thinking how I am the luckiest man in the world right now. I have the best, most brilliant woman as my wife, the best of friends and a huge loving family," he said.

Ginny leaned over to take the mug out of his hands and took a sip. She gripped the cup in both hands after, contemplating her husband. Waiting.

"I wish..." he began, then stopped, looking away.

"Tell me," she urged gently, almost whispering.

He hesitated but continued, after all, this was Ginny, the one he trusted more than anyone else. If he was going to spill his guts, it would be to her and her alone. "I wish I could go back and tell my five year old self, my ten year old self, that it was all going to be okay. That one day I'd have people who truly care about me. That I'd have someone who loves me completely," he said, almost brokenly. "That I'd have a family."

Ginny's heart ached for Harry. He had confessed a lot about his childhood with the Dursleys but she had also suspected he had kept a lot back, especially the hurt he felt. She handed the mug back to him and he sipped.

There was something about middle of the night confessions and now he had started, he found it hard to stop. It all came out, every horrible thing they'd said to him, the lies they'd told about his parents, the punishments, the bullying, the bleak sense of a loneliness.

As they shared the cocoa, passing it back and forth, he also opened up to his feelings of guilt about Sirius' death and how he still missed him, how bad things became on the Horcrux hunt, not only between three best friends, but also the doubt in himself. He had not really expected to survive his confrontation with Voldemort, and Ginny knew he'd struggled in the days, weeks and months after the battle, in living up to unrealistic expectations.

It was like a purge of every bad feeling, thought and deed he'd ever had. Envy over Ron and his huge family; jealous of Dean when he'd just realised he fancied Ginny himself. Annoyance mixed with love for Hermione, who nagged and worried for him, as only a sister could. Worry for Teddy and his future; would he, Harry, be able to guide his godson through the trials of life?

Ginny listened, chin propped on her fist, letting him get it all out. She nodded, she rubbed his leg, she offered her thoughts when prompted and she stored information to ask Ron and Hermione about at a later stage. But mostly, she just fell more in love with Harry, _her_ Harry, who had been through so much in his short life already. What she wouldn't do to ease the burden off his shoulders, even if it was just for this one night.

What _wouldn't_ she do for her husband, the love of her life?

He sipped the last of the cocoa and yawned, tilting his head back against the wall. It had been quite draining, confessing all, yet surprisingly liberating. Huh, maybe Hermione was onto something when she suggested he talk about his feelings. Who knew?

Ginny wiped her tears away, not because she didn't want him to see how his stories had affected her. No, because this was their honeymoon, damnit, and it wasn't a time for tears.

She scooted closer and gently kissed him. He tasted of cocoa and Harry, of home. He looked bemused at her, so she shrugged.

"I just want to make you happy," she explained, dropping down to sit on the same step as him, his legs surounding hers.

He smiled a sleepy sexy smile, propping one knee up and the other on the step below. "You're very good at it," he remarked. It was true, she made him ridiculously happy.

She stood and held a hand out to him. " Come back to bed," she coaxed softly.

He didn't hesitate, grabbing her hand and pulling himself up. "Anything you want, wife," he teased, following her up, up.

She looked back at him over her shoulder. "Well, in that case, husband ..." she drawled, grinning cheekily.

He smacked her arse and chased her up the stairs, all the way to their bedroom. Squeals and laughter soon turned to moans and groans of passion, from both of them.

It was the perfect honeymoon.


	40. Chapter 40 Picnics

Hermione put down the Daily Prophet and looked over the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall, her gaze finally resting on the person sitting next to her, Ginny Weasley. She showed no interest at all in the daily newspaper, nor in any of the many conversations going on around her. In fact, she looked quite glum and weary.

"Okay?" asked Hermione, nudging her.

Ginny merely shrugged in reply. She finished the cup of tea in front of her then looked at the older girl. "Ready?"

Hermione nodded and the two girls rose and walked companionably back to Gryffindor Tower.

Students hurried past them, eager to get outside, for it was a sunny Saturday in early June in Scotland, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For most of the students this meant two carefree days of fun, while the fifth, seventh and – for this year- the eighth year students, of which Hermione was one, would spend the weekend revising, as they prepared for their NEWTs and OWLs examinations, which began on Monday.

Two weeks loomed before the school year would be over, and Hermione was honestly glad. While she had always hoped she would be able to return to finish her final year, she had missed the company of both Ron and Harry, and would have felt terribly lonely, if not for Ginny.

Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, Mandy Brocklehurst, Lisa Turpin and the Patil twins had joined Hermione in returning for their _'eighth'_ year, and they joined the seventh years for their lessons.

While it was nice having some of her fellow classmates with her, Hermione still felt apart from them. Whispers followed her, some of the younger students gazed in awe at her, or were actually scared of her. Some merely wanted to ask her questions about Harry, or if any of the hundreds of rumours floating around were true.

Sometimes she really thought she might have tossed it in and left, studying from home...if it hadn't been for Ginny. She knew what Hermione had been through, what the three of them had faced the past year. She gave Hermione a shoulder to lean on, someone to confide in, and someone who challenged her in lessons.

The two girls had always gotten on well, after all, they had shared many a confidence while sharing Ginny's bedroom over the summer all these years. But now she was seeing a new side of Ginny, a side she suspected was borne the past school year, when she became protector and defendor of the younger students, along with Neville, Luna, Seamus and Hannah.

Hermione had grown to appreciate Ginny 'protecting' her from awestruck students, barking at them to leave her alone and return to their own work. The two of them would find their own study nook in the library, and often stayed up late in the Gryffindor common room.

It was on one of those nights in the Gryffindor common room, close to Christmas, that Harry's head had appeared in the fire, calling for Ginny. Both girls had shot to the fireplace, where a shaking Harry just needed to see Ginny. His nightmares had returned and they just couldn't get him to calm down.

Grabbing her bag, Ginny told Hermione to keep Harry talking. Hermione did so, telling Harry honestly she had no idea where Ginny went. Minutes later, Ginny appeared next to Harry, thanking Hermione, and they closed the fire.

Ginny had raced to the headmistress' office, begging for permission to Floo to Harry's, telling her she'd go with or without her blessing and explained about Harry and his night terrors. Minerva aquiesed and spent the next day hoping she had made the correct decision. Her fears were allayed both by Hermione corroborating how bad Harry had seemed, and Ginny's exhaustion when she returned. She was not the picture of one who had just had a lover's rendezvous, but she thanked the headmistress and told her she had studied while watching over Harry has he slept, thus not getting much sleep herself.

Harry began to firecall late at night, once or twice a week. The two had a wonderful reunion over Christmas, where Hermione suspected they may have taken their relationship to the next level. They had been near inseparable for the rest of the break before both she and Ginny had to return to school.

The two girls had also returned home for the Easter break, Ginny to the Burrow and she to her parents, but they had met up often at Grimmauld Place for dinners with Harry and Ron.

Then they had to return for their very last time. Hermione had already accepted a postion at the Department and Regulatgion of Control of Magical Creatures, dependent on her NEWT scores – ' _just a formality, you know' –_ but she had never been one to get by simply because who her best friend was.

Meanwhile, Hermione had come to admire Ginny's cability to captain the Gryffindor Quidditch team – they had just won the cup – and still retain high marks in her lessons. Ginny had told her she was determined to get at least five NEWTS, to appease her mother, who despaired over Ginny's chosen career of Quidditch, even though she was already promised a try-out with the Holyhead Harpies.

Hermione had no doubts she would succeed; Ginny was second only to herself in Charms, Potions and Ancient Runes, and probably better than her at Defence against the Dark Arts. She would surely pass her Muggle Studies and Transfiguration classes well enough too.

"Come on, then," sighed Ginny, after they had entered their shared dormitory. She picked up her school bag. "Library?"

Hermione shook her head and walked to Ginny's wardrobe. She took out a pair of shorts and a top, and tossed them on the bed. "Come on, let's go to Slughorn's picnic."

Ginny stared at her in surprise. "Give up studying to go to some picnic?" Hermione nodded, grabbing a change of clothes for herself. "Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" demanded Ginny.

Hermione chuckled. " Come on, we deserve a break. Just a half day, mind you. We'll get some sunshine, eat some overcooked sausages, ignore Slughorn's ramblings and have a jolly good time. But then we study, yeah?"

Ginny nodded eagerly, quickly changing into something much more casual. At Hermione's suggestion, she even pulled her hair out of its pony tail, letting it loose and swinging down her back. "Let's go," cried Ginny, before Hermione could change her mind.

Arm in arm, the two girls set off for the outdoors. Professor Slughorn had set aside an area just for the Slug Club, and had decided to cook a barbecue himself. He wore a garrish shirt adorned with flamingos and cocktails and knee length shorts which showcased his glaring white legs.

"Ah, Granger, you might be able to help me out with this," cried Horace in relief as the two girls approached the party. There were about eight other people there already.

Hermione looked around, a strange look coming over her face. "Yes, fine, sir. Ginny, why don't you go get Hagrid, I believe he was going to set up umbrellas for shade. Isn't that right, Professor?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, right, er, Hagrid, yes, go fetch Hagrid please, Miss Weasley," said Horace, distracted by the flames coming out of the barbecue. Hermione helped him out, smiling at him thankfully.

"Can't we just use a Shield Charm? Why do we need umbrellas?" asked Ginny, lifting the hair off her neck just to feel the sunshine pour over her.

"Ginny, go," cried Hermione.

"Fine, fine," conceded Ginny, walking backwards to Hagrid's. "Honestly," she murmured to herself, as she swung around, " anyone would think we can't do magic the way she..."

She stopped, sure she must be dreaming. For sitting on Hagrid's steps appeared to be Harry, nonchalantly chatting to Hagrid whilst patting Fang.

"Harry," she whispered in wonder, and somehow, he heard her. His head shot up and he looked straight at her, the biggest grin on his face.

"Harry!" She took off running, and he hurried up to meet her half way. She leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as the two kissed.

"Ahem."

They broke apart to see a stern but amused headmistress standing next to Hagrid, who looked delighted.

"Headmistress Magonagall!" squeaked Ginny, sliding down off Harry. Together they faced her, his arm around her waist. Harry nodded respectfully at his former head of house.

"So nice you could join us for the barbecue, Mr Potter," said Minerva.

"Thank you for the invitation," replied Harry.

"Oh, that was all Horace," admitted Minerva.

"It's great to her yer back home, 'arry," grinned Hagrid. He sniffed the air. "Somethin' smells good."

"Yes, shall we?" asked Minerva, gesturing to the barbecue.

"You're really staying?" asked Ginny to Harry.

He nodded. "Just for a couple of hours, though. I really wanted to see you before the exams start, to wish you well."

She hugged him; she hadn't realised how much she had actually missed him till he was here. "What about Ron?" she asked, as they resumed walking, hand in hand, to the party.

"We were supposed to be helping Angie move into the flat above the shop with George. In fact, if George asks, I was there all the time," grinned Harry, " but Ron's covering for me."

"Harry!"

Ginny stepped aside as Hermione ran to Harry, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, I've missed you so," she cried, hugging him hard.

"Ow, think you broke a rib, Hermione," teased Harry, when she finally released him. "Listen, we," he gestured to him and Ginny, " really appreciate you organising this for us."

"You did this?" asked Ginny, incredulous. Before Hermione could reply, Ginny was hugging her. "Thank you," she whispered.

Hermione had never had a sister, nor any close girl friends growing up, but she had never felt closer to Ginny than she did just then. "You both deserve a break," she said softly to Ginny.

"Harry, my boy," boomed Horace. He thrust a loaded plate into harry's hands. "Tell me what you think of these? Cooked them myself," he boasted. At Hermione's frowning look, he amended, "with Granger's assistance, of course."

"Of course," chuckled Harry, with a fond look at the witch he considered a sister. He took a bite. "Delicious," he declared.

Horace looked pleased and relieved, and turned back to load a plate for Ginny and Hermione.

By now, word had gotten out that Harry Potter was on the Hogwarts grounds and students were spilling out, searching. Even the members of the Slug Club looked as though they were about to ambush him with questions.

"Go," encouraged Hermione, shoving bottles of pumpkin juice in their hands. "I'll hold the adoring fans at bay."

Never one to waste an opportunity, Ginny and Harry quickly left to walk down to the lake, to _'their'_ special spot. Both agreed they had a very good friend in Hermione.

Two hours later, they slowly returned to the party, which was now simply Hagrid packing away the barbecue and Hermione helping with the cleanup as they discussed mooncalves.

" 'ere they are!" declared Hagrid, ' I was about to come lookin' for yer both."

"I really should get back," said a reluctant Harry.

Ginny buried her face against his chest. "It's been brilliant seeing you," she said. She stood on tiptoes to kiss him and whisper, " just a couple more weeks and I'll be home."

He nodded.

"Hey, guys?" called Hermione, " say cheese!"

They turned to see Hermione had her Muggle camera up to her eye. Ginny beamed as Harry kissed her cheek. " I want a copy of that," he told her.

They both hugged Hermione simultaneously; she was the meat in their sandwich. "Thanks, Hermione," said Harry, "I missed her so much."

"You both owe me," she laughingly warned. "Next time Ron and I want some time alone at the Burrow..."

"You got it," they promised.

The three walked up to the castle, where headmistress Macgonagall waited. She would escort Harry to her office, to use her Floo.

The two girls accompanied them, then both Hermione and Minerva averted their eyes as Harry and Ginny shared a quick, soft kiss goodbye. Then Hermione and Ginny headed up to Gryffindor Tower to grab their books to start studying.

"Two more weeks," sighed Ginny, in longing as they walked to the library.

"It'll go quick," promised Hermione. "Now, what subject shall we start with. Potions?"

Ginny groaned. "Sure, why not?"

Meanwhile, Harry was enjoying a cup of tea and biscuits with the headmistress, assuring her that all was going well in his Auror training and that the darkness that plagued him after the battle was lessening every day.

"I imagine Miss Weasley has a lot to do with that," noted Minerva.

Harry smiled and nodded. "I just want us to start our lives together," he told her. "The Weasleys, Ron and Hermione, they've all been great."

"You have a lot of love in your life, Harry," agreed Minerva. "Now, I must bid you farewell, as I have a lot of preparation to do for the Transfiguration examinations."

"Care to give me a hint?" suggested Harry, cheekily. He knew Ginny worried about that grade.

"Not even a hint of a hint, Potter," smiled Minerva.

"Thanks again for letting me come today," he told her, standing. He looked around the office; she had changed it considerably after the battle. "I like it," he declared.

"I'm thrilled you approve," she said dryly, and he knew it was time to go. He stepped into the fireplace, throwing down the Floo powder and calling out 'Weasley Wizarding Wheezes."

The green flames carried him away, and he stepped out to a crowded store. "It's Harry Potter," squealed a young girl, pointing. A group of her friends joined her, and he was quickly surrounded, with WWW products thrust into his face for him to sign.

"Yes indeed it is, as promised," drawled George, from behind the counter, "Harry, be a good lad and sign their items, then girls, you can make your way over here to pay for them. Harry himself will even bag them for you...right, Harry?"

Harry noted the twinkle in Geworge's eyes and knew he was sprung. "Er, sure, yeah."

A young girl thrust a love potion into his hands. "Will you sign it, love, Harry Potter?" she pleaded.

"Sure," he said, scribbling away.

"Hey, this doesn't look like _'Harry Potter',_ " one girl said, after he had handed her item back to her.

"Well, it's my signature," assured Harry, turning to the next girl. "Er, I'm not signing a Pygmy Puff, sorry."

An hour later, George flipped the sign on the door to _'closed'._ "We should get you in the store more often, we sold out on some lines," he noted, rubbing his hands together.

"We were lucky they were only eight or so years old," said Angelina, coming down the stairs, with Ron behind her, "any older, we'd need security. Hi, Harry, how's Ginny and Hermione?"

Harry thought about his girlfriend, and the wonderful hours they'd spent at the lake. "Brilliant," he sighed.

"Blimey, I don't look like that when I talk about Hermione, do I?" asked Ron, teasing but slightly worried at the sappy look on Harry's face.

"Worse," snapped back George. He looked at Harry. " Since when doesn't your signature look like Harry Potter?"

Harry looked at Ron and grinned. "I signed everything _'Roonil Wazlib'_.

"Who?" asked George and Angelina, confused.

"Good old Roonil," grinned Ron. "What a guy!"

"Just someone from our Hogwarts days," winked Harry.

"Good times," they chorused, high fiving each other.

~end~


	41. Chapter 41 In Sickness and in Health

The door opened and Harry didn't need to open his eyes to know it was his wife, Ginny. Not because of the delicious floral scent that always seemed to accompany her, no, it was the stiffening of the staff next to his bed at St Mungo's that alerted him to her presence.

"How is my husband?" she asked the closest staff member to her.

"I-I-" The poor student nurse turned to her senior fellow nurse for guidance. Harry almost felt sorry for them all. Word had obviously got around that when Harry Potter was admitted injured, his wife would be demanding answers, demanding the best care. Never the most patient of patients, he usually sat back with amusement and watched the staff run around to accommodate the force that was Ginny Potter.

But today he just plain hurt. The bastards they'd be after had landed their fair share of punches and kicks before being stunned.

He felt Ginny move to his side, gently stroking his hair off his forehead and lean in and place a soft kiss there, whilst asking softly, "All right, love?"

He tried to nod, but grimaced instead. "Yeah," he told her, gritting his teeth against the pounding in his head. It was easier just to keep his eyes shut and his head still.

"Sure you are," she replied knowingly. She patted his arm and moved away from his side.

He wanted to call her back, but it just hurt too damn much to speak, to blink, to even think right now. Still, he heard Ginny speak softly but firmly to the nursing staff, asking to speak to the healer in charge. They scuttled off quickly, eager to get away and do her bidding.

She returned to his side. "Alone at last," she teased softly, which he appreciated. She lifted up his sheet to take note of the rest of his injuries, sucking in a breath.

"That bad?" he forced out, eyes still closed. His glasses were on the bedside table, along with his wand.

She didn't answer, instead drawing the sheet back up and going to the door. The young nurse was there, about to open the door. "When did he have a pain potion?" she asked. Of course she knew he was in pain.

"I-I'm not sure, I'll have to check. I-I came to tell you the healer will be with you shortly, ma'am."

Harry swore he could hear the student nurse curtsey to Ginny, who merely grunted. The nurse bustled away. Harry grinned, ignoring the pain, and held out his hand.

She was back at his bedside in seconds; their hands linked. "I swear they get younger," she said softly. "So," she said, conversationally, looking around. " This is a room we havent been in before! I think I'll call this the Puce Room." Her tone was one of wry acceptance of the situation.

Despite his pain, he grinned; they'd made a game of naming the many hospital rooms the two of them had been in. With his Auror career and her Quidditch career, they'd had their share of hospital stays over the years.

"Puce? What is that?" he asked, already feeling better with her there.

"It's a colour," she replied.

"On the walls?"

"Nope, the bruise on your abdomen. Whoever or whatever hit you, certainly left a an impression," she noted. She paused. "Thought your days out on missions like this were over?"

"Needed...all hands." He hissed in pain as he tried to shift on his side in bed.

Ginny nodded – which he didn't see – and strode to the door. A nurse was walking past, a tray floating next to her with an array of potions on it. "I hope one of those is for my husband," she barked.

The nurse balked but shrugged, used to unruly patients and their families. "Just waiting for the healer to sign off on it," she reported calmly.

"Where is the healer?" demanded Ginny.

"Just next door, he'll be with Mr Potter next. Now, if there's nothing else I can help you with, I'll just get on with my rounds," said the nurse calmly.

"Fine," said Ginny, closing the door and returning to Harry's side. "Thank Merlin there is someone here who seems to know what's going on," she commented, sinking into the chair beside the bed.

The healer arrived about five minutes later and examined Harry quickly – too quickly for Ginny's liking – before offering up the pain potion. Harry took it and the effect was almost instantaneous. He drifted off to sleep, watching Ginny and the healer discuss observations and monitoring and things he didn't really even care about.

He woke later. Moving slowly to test himself, he realised his head was feeling much better. He attempted to sit up but the pain rushed through him, making him hiss again.

"Careful," warned Ginny, standing up from the chair beside the bed. "That one," – she indicated his abdomen – " is going to take longer to heal."

Wincing as she adjusted his pillows, he realised she was right.

"They want to keep you in overnight," she told him. "The healer and I -"

"No, Gin, I want to go home. You know I hate hospitals," he pleaded.

" - had a lively discussion about it," continued Ginny, as if he hadn't interrupted. "I told him you wouldn't want to stay, and he advised against you leaving."

"And...?"

Ginny looked surprised. "Do you even have to ask? Whenever you're ready, I'll help you up and get you dressed and we'll go."

"Now, then," decided Harry. Ginny nodded, knowing her husband.

It took them some time to get Harry dressed and by the time a nurse returned with some pain potions to take home, they were ready to leave.

Harry insisted on walking out, and luckily they were close to the old fireplaces so they could Floo home. Harry had a quick word to the Auror who had been guarding his door, promising to spread the word that the boss would be out for a day or two.

"More like three or four," muttered Ginny, but she followed him to the fireplace, knowing better than to offer him her arm. He walked to the Floo, head held high and trying hard not to wince.

He stumbled slightly as he stepped out of the Floo, as he usually did. But now he was home, in his own home, he allowed himself to grunt at his weakened state. Ginny, just having come through the Floo behind him, slipped a careful arm around his waist, encourgaging him to head straight for their comfortable sofa.

She pulled her wand out of her pocket, making the sofa larger. She helped him to sit, then knelt at his feet to remove his shoes.

He allowed her to fuss over him, in a Molly Weasley-esqe way. She Accio-d his pillows from their bedroom, plumping them up just the way he liked, and then placed a Weasley homemade throw over him.

"Gin," he said, gesturing for her to sit with him. She snuggled up behind him, and he leaned his head back on her shoulder.

"Gin, I don't want the kids to see me like this," he told her. It was not about pride, rather protecting his three young children – James was only seven – that the world could be an ugly place.

There were no qualms about showing Ginny his weakness, his pain. They had been each other's best support for so many years now, had seen each other through good times and bad.

Ginny kissed his cheek. "Harry, it's taken care of," she assured him. "The kids are having a sleepover at Ron and Hermione's. If you need more time, they'll stay tomorrow night at the Burrow. Mum and Dad love having the grandchildren to stay. You just concentrate on resting and recovering."

He nodded and gave himself over to sleep, knowing that Ginny would watch over him, would care for their children, just as he would do for her if needed.

Years ago they had promised themselves to each other, in sickness and in health. Vows that they still uphold each and every day.

Title is credited to Bianca, the same title of her recent art work.


	42. Chapter 42 Monster

*some words taken from blvnk's recent work*

Andromeda had warned Ginny when she came to pick Teddy up, that he had seemed quiet after pre-school. She had tried to pry out of him the reason, but the three year old had simply shrugged and said nothing.

With Harry working a late shift, it had been easy to buy a pizza on the way home, then eat it on the sofa as they watched a movie. Teddy sat closer to her than normal but seemed okay to her, perhaps less chatty than usual.

He'd had a bath and gotten into his pyjamas, then they'd had a hot drink before bedtime (milk for him, chocolate for her), as they talked about what they might do the next day, when Harry had the day off.

The rain was coming down outside, and Ginny hoped Harry wasn't on any kind of patrol or stake-out out in that weather. She also hoped the weatherman on the radio was right in saying it would clear by tomorrow, for usually their plans involved some kind of outdoor activity.

"Time for bed, Teddy," she said.

" 'm not finished," he muttered, drinking his warm milk even slower.

She waited patiently, finally taking his cup off him and setting it on the sink. "Okay then, here we go, off to bed."

"Don't wanna," he pouted. "Wanna wait for Harry."

"You can't Teddy, he won't be home till late," reminded Ginny. She hitched him on her hip and they walked upstairs; Teddy clutching her shoulder tightly.

She waited outside while he went to the loo – mister independent these days – and tucked him into bed, then read him a story. He was trying to fight falling asleep but failing miserably, yawning every minute or so.

She kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, Teddy bear."

He rubbed his eyes. " 'm not sleepy." He yawned again.

She chuckled. "Night, sweety." She turned the light off.

He sat up, alarmed. "Put the light on!"

Ginny flicked the light on, alarmed. "Teddy, what is it?"

He scooted to the end of the bed. "I wanna play."

"Teddy," drawled Ginny, " what's going on?"

He looked down, mumbling something. Ginny couldn't make it out, so she gently lifted his chin.

"There's a monster," he told her.

"Inside? Here?" she asked, alarmed.

Teddy shook his head, looking toward the window. "Out there. Miss Rowling read us a story today. It was raining in the story too. And...it's scary with the lights out." He lowered his head.

Ginny thought quickly. She knew there was no monster, merely Teddy's active imaginiation. She needed to reinforce he was safe, that this so called monster could be overcome.

"Can the monster do stronger magic than Harry?" she asked.

Teddy shook his head vehemently. "Harry's the best wizard in the world," he declared.

"That's right, and Harry has the bestest, strongest wards up around this house," she reminded him.

Bill and Harry had set the wards together, with only a small group of people able to have access to Grimmauld Place.

"Teddy, do you think I could beat this monster in a Quidditch match?" she asked, knowing Teddy loved watching her play for the Harpies.

Teddy slowly nodded, for Ginny was the bestest player ever.

"Can this monster even fly?" she asked.

Teddy shook his head.

"Then why is he even that scary?" she asked.

Teddy shrugged, suddenly feeling that the monster wasn't so scary after all.

"He just seems really lame, Teddy. I wouldn't worry about it one little bit," said Ginny.

"What's a lame?" asked Teddy.

She bopped him on the nose. "Nothing for you to worry about. Now, off to sleep, yeah. I'll leave the hall light on till you fall asleep."

Teddy felt better, so he scurried under the covers and let Ginny fuss over him again. "Night, Ginny," he said, yawning.

"Love you, Teddy...and when you wake up, Harry will be home and we'll plan something fun to do," said Ginny gently.

Teddy nodded, grabbing his stuffed dog and settling back down in bed, eyes closed and already half asleep.

Three hours later, Harry made his way up the stairs. Trying to keep quiet, he checked on Teddy, surprised and slightly alarmed to see his bed empty.

He hurried to his and Ginny's room, where sure enough, Teddy lay snuggled against Ginny. Sighing in relief, Harry sat on the edge of the bed and began to remove his clothes. His shoe thudded to the floor.

"Harry?"

He half turned to see Teddy awake. "Hey Teddy. Okay?"

Teddy nodded. "There was a monster, only he was a lame one. Ginny was still scared so I stayed here with her."

Harry smiled, sure that it was the other way around.

"Do I hafta go back to my room?" yawned Teddy, already half asleep again.

"No, you can stay here with us tonight," conceded Harry. He'd always do whatever it took to make Teddy feel loved and safe.

"G'night, Harry," said Teddy.

"Goodnight, Teddy. Love you," said Harry softly. He shifted on his side, wincing and

pulling out Teddy's stuffed dog and laying him near Teddy's side.

Ginny turned over and smiled at him, and he realised she had been awake the whole time.

"Okay?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "You?"

"Better now that I'm home with you both," said Harry.

She smiled. "Get some sleep, Teddy has a busy day planned for us tomorrow."

He grinned, loving his outings with his godson. "Night, Gin, love you."

"Love you too, Harry," she replied sleepily.

And as the inhabitants of Number twelve, Grimmauld Place slept, the weather began to clear and the next day would, indeed, be a fine day for Teddy's outing.


	43. Chapter 43 Sir

Harry roused from his bed, trying desperately not to wake Ginny up. Last night was one of the few nights lately that they hadn't argued, and it had been like old times, out in the back yard playing with James and Albus.

He'd been so under the pump these last few months, as he transitioned into the Head Auror role at the Ministry. It had been taking its toll on him, and he had filtered it down to Ginny. He wasn't proud of that, she didn't deserve his frustrations. She was dealing with baby Albus and toddler James; one would have been enough, but both of them?

He'd always vowed to be the best dad he could be, and he knew he was letting them down. He knew kids picked up on the tension, and really, all Ginny was asking was that he be home, be present for his sons. For James mostly; he was crying out for attention since Albus' birth a few months ago.

Harry picked up his running clothes and went to the bathroom to get changed. After using the loo, he ventured downstairs after checking both boys were still asleep, and grabbed a quick swill of pumpkin juice straight from the bottle.

A familiar clip clop had him looking down, where he found his faithful dog, Sir, waiting. "You ready, boy?" he asked, and the dog panted back in reply, already heading for the door.

Being five thirty in the morning meant Harry needn't leash the dog, rather, he let him run alongside him as they ran the familiar route he'd been doing the last month. It had started off as a long walk, when they had first brought Sir home. Harry needed to clear his thoughts about some stuff at work, and he and Ginny had fought that night.

"Harry, please, leave this stuff at the office. I need you here," she'd pleaded.

"I'm here, aren't I?' he replied brusquely.

"No, you're not. You're body is but your mind is still on something from work. Face it, Harry, me and the boys are not your priority any more!"

She had stormed away; he'd turned and gone the other way, needing some distance. Seeing the dog eyeing him warily, he'd grabbed the leash and attached it. " Come on, it's going to be a long one."

Walking cleared his mind, so he quickly offered to take care of Sir's walk each night. Till one time he was late home due to a raid, and he rose early next morning. A clear mind to start the day made him feel more energised, more positive, and he and Ginny had a good night that night.

Walking soon became jogging, and the route began to get extended. He felt he was making better decisions at work, as he finally took the helm solo. He was able to implement some ideas he'd been thinking of ever since he had begun as an Auror, and they proved successful.

A bark jolted Harry out of his thoughts, as he and the dog rounded the corner. "All right, all right," chuckled Harry. Mrs Peralta was a few doors up, an early riser, and she had become used to their jogging routine. She lay down a bowl of water for Sir, who drank thirstily.

"How are those boys of yours, Harry?" she asked.

"James is learning to fly, and Albus will be eight months old next week," he told her proudly. She was an older resident of Godric's Hollow, and had introduced herself when he and Ginny had first moved there, where they were embraced by the small community.

"My, hasn't time gone by so fast. And your wife?"

He knew she wasn't being nosy, so he had no hesitation in replying. "Gets more beautuful every day," he told her truthfully, for Ginny as a mother was the most wonderful thing in the world. " Don't know what I ever did to deserve her," he winked.

"Oh go on with you," chuckled Mrs Peralta, waving him away. "Looks like Sir is finished. Will I see you tomorrow?"

Harry pondered. It was Saturday, and if he got into the office early enough, he should be able to clear his desk. " Probably not. I might actually get a day off, so I'll sleep in as late as I can, then we'll do something with the boys."

"Sounds perfect. Take care, give your wife my best wishes," she called, waving as she walked back to her front door.

"Woof."

Harry set off on a jog again. " If you ever run away, guess I'll know where to come find you," he told the dog.

He liked to talk to Sir. Some nights, after Ginny had gone to bed, he'd sit out in the back yard, thinking of all the ways he was fucking up the best part of his life. He'd missed James' first steps, and he'd very nearly missed Albus' birth.

"Is it worth it?" he'd asked the universe aloud. "Being at the ministry, finding out first hand if trouble is brewing, just wanting to protect my family? Is it worth it if I'm sitting out here, rather than inside where they are? Is this what I signed on for?"

A head rested on his knee, and he looked down to see the new family dog looking up at him with such sadness in his eyes.

Harry rested his hands on the dog's head, fondling his ears. "You don't like the fighting either, do you, boy. You probably wonder about the nutty family you came to, am I right?"

Sir woofed and wriggled to get closer. Harry remembered the day he'd taken James to Diagon Alley to pick out a dog. The magical menagerie had announced they were getting some in from a breeder, and James had been on about a dog since he'd visited Dean and Seamus and met theirs, Boomer.

Naturally, James was bursting with excitement, too impatient to even stop off at WWW to see his uncles. Harry told him they could stop in on the way home to show them their new dog; this made James happy.

So they walked past WWW and were heading to the pet store when they heard someone cry behind them. "Stop, thief!"

Harry turned, wand out instinctively in one hand and picking up James with the other, just as a medium sized black dog ran towards them. Harry recognised Sheila, the cook from the Leaky Cauldron as the one who cried out. She was running down the alley, also heading straight for Harry.

As the dog got closer, Harry noticed a string of sausages in it's mouth. James giggled as it ran behind Harry's legs and quickly gobbled the snags up.

Harry was twisting and turning, worrying if the dog was rabid or aggressive. He hitched James higher in his arms, even as his son wiggled to get down to the dog.

"That dog stole my sausages," accused Sheila, huffing as she caught up with the dog.

She tried to get around Harry and the dog dodged her around Harry's legs. Tired about being in the middle, Harry pointed to the dog and said "Sit."

The dog sat immediately, it's tongue out as it looked up at Harry and James. "Doggie," giggled James, leaning down to touch it's fur. The dog stood eagerly on it's hind legs and licked his fingers.

" No, sit." To Harry's surprise, the dog obediently sat again.

"This your dog, Mr Potter, sir?" asked Sheila.

Harry had been about to say no, when he looked down into the dog's eyes. Immediately he was reminded of Sirius.

"My doggie," piped up James.

"Er..."

"Well, I'll leave you to explain to Mrs Longbottom about the sausages, shall I?" Sheila shot the dog a menacing look, then turned and headed back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Harry, hey Harry, everything all right?" It was Ron. "I saw you go past the store, then I saw someone running like she was being chased. I figured you'd be involved somehow. Hello, mate." James leapt into his uncle's arms and hugged him tight.

"My doggie." He pointed to the dog sitting at Harry's feet, looking up at him to see if he could move.

Ron looked down. "That's the pureblood dog you paid big bucks for? Man, they saw you coming!" He burst out laughing.

Harry looked at the dog; he was still looking up at Harry, as if waiting to see what would be his next move.

Harry let his hand drop to pat the dog's head, as if to say _'don't mind him'._

Ron tickled James. "This is your dog?"

James laughed. "My doggie, my doggie."

Perhaps the dog thought Harry's touch was an agreement to move, for he sniffed around Ron's shoes before cocking his leg and peeing on his left one.

Ron cried out, Harry snorted and James, not sure what was going on, simply giggled.

"I don't think he liked your comment, Ron," chuckled Harry. " Here boy."

The dog returned to Harry's side, sitting up and looking at Ron as if to say _'your move'._

"He gives me the shivers, the way he's looking at me. Reminds me of Snape in Potions lessions," shuddered Ron. "Please don't tell me Ginny's already named him, I'm still trying to process Albus Severus."

"My bruvver is Owlbus Sebrus," said James.

Harry rolled his eyes; the family had taken some time to come around to his second son's name, no matter how many times he explained his reasoning.

"Merlin you're a sarcastic bast- er, brother, Harry." He smiled apologetically for the near slip up. "Remember when you told Snape he didn't need to call you sir? Bloody hilarious - oops sorry James."

The dog barked. Harry looked down at him again. "Actually Ron, _I_ named him. His name is Sir."

Ron looked taken aback, but before he could reply, the dog barked. "You named him Sir?"

"Yep."

"Sir, Sir. Daddy, can I play with Sir?" asked James.

"When we get home, son. We'll have to introduce him to our house, will you help me?" asked Harry.

James nodded. "Sir meet Al? And Mummy?"

"That's right, good boy. So I guess we should be going, Uncle Ron. Bye." Harry hoisted James a bit higher and beckoned for the dog to follow them.

"Don't you have a leash for him?" called Ron.

"He's actually well trained," called Harry, more in hope than anything. He waved to George as they passed WWW, slipped Hannah a galleon for the stolen sausages, asking her to contact him if anyone enquired about a lost dog, then used her fireplace to Floo home with an excitable boy and dog.

Ginny had merely raised an eyebrow when they flooed home. "Sir?" Harry had confided the story of his altercation with Snape years ago, but he did it again, explaining Ron's comments.

Just for the mere fact that the dog had peed on Ron, did Ginny give her blessing for the new addition and the name. Harry and James took Sir for a tour of the whole house, and when Albus awoke, he was introduced too, letting the dog sniff him, then Ginny gently helped Albus to pat him.

Sir Potter's entry to the family wasn't always smooth. He did dig up Ginny's freshly planted vegetable seeds when he buried a bone, and he did like to eat the morning newspaper. He was constantly sniffing around the kitchen, getting underfoot, and he did chew James' stuffed snitch toy, his much needed bedtime sleeping toy, so there was two nights when Harry, Ginny and James cursed him coming into their family.

But he soon settled down, and became a great sounding board for Harry. He listened to Harry's fears about taking on the Head Auror role, about his worries for his sons, about his arguments with Ginny.

Sir was a great listener, he loved the sound of Harry's voice. And he seemed to know what Harry needed on nights like these, by distracting him by making him throw a ball, or simply resting his head on his human's knee.

It took Harry a good six months to really settle into his new role, and then he felt his life was back on track. He told Ginny how much he appreciated her patience with him, and for putting up with him. He vowed to do better as a husband and father, and he made good on his word. His family should and would always be his priority.

Including a special dog named Sir.

*Most facts are Bianca's headcanon about Sir and Harry.


	44. Chapter 44 Hi!

Harry Potter zipped his son Albus' coat up and took his hand before they left WWW. It was late in the afternoon, and there was a chance of rain later that night. They were both wearing their winter coats, and for Harry, a scarf and cap.

Ginny had taken James to the dentist for a check up, so Harry had decided to get an early start on dinner. But a quick check in the cupboards showed he was low on several necessary ingredients, so he bundled Al up for a quick trip to Diagon Alley.

Several people nodded at Harry, smiling to see him out with his youngest son. Al seemed unaware of all the interest, until a woman stepped in front of them both, causing Harry, and thus Al, to stop.

"Bless you, Mr Potter," she said, smiling at both him and Al. "Bless you, your wife and your sons.

"Thank you," replied Harry, politely. He did not know this woman but, even after all these years, perfect strangers still thanked him for his actions against Voldemort. He and Ginny were often in the papers, still pursued by reporters, although they tried to protect their sons from the glare of publicity.

The woman walked away. Harry squeezed Al's hand lightly, and the little boy looked up.

"Okay, Al? Home?" asked Harry.

Al seemed thoughtful. "Why that lady say hi?" he asked. His daddy and mummy seemed to know lots and lots of people.

"She knows me, and she was being kind, Al," said Harry, easily.

Al looked over at the woman. If his daddy was okay with it, then so was Al.

"Hi," called Al, waving to the woman.

She looked startled, but then smiled broadly and waved back to the little boy.

Al looked back up at his daddy to make sure he had done the right thing. His daddy smiled proudly down at him.

"Home?" he repeated.

Al nodded. "Make 'sketti for Mummy and Jamie."

"The bestest, yummiest 'sketti," agreed Harry, "with my best assistant."

"Me," boasted Al.

"Yes, you," confirmed Harry.

They continued on their way to the Leaky Cauldron, where Hannah always let them use her private Floo when travelling with the kids.

Later, as she tucked him into bed, Ginny praised Al for being such a good helper for his daddy while she was away, and Harry praised James for being so brave at the dentist, as his eldest son showed him the special sticker the dentist gave him for being so brave.

"Just like you, Daddy," grinned James, who had heard that word described to his daddy all the time.

To Harry, being a dad was the best thing in the world.


	45. Chapter 45 Lily Luna

Harry grinned at Albus as they heard Ginny berate James in the next room for eating in his bed.

"You just brushed your teeth, James," she sighed.

"Night, Al, don't stay up too late reading," warned Harry.

"Or don't get caught by mum, thanks to James," replied Al,cheekily.

Harry finger-gunned his son. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"Night, Dad, love you."

"I love you too, son."

Harry closed Al's door, spying Ginny in the doorway of the bathroom, watching as James brushed his teeth agaib. She winked at Harry, who gestured at the other door in the hall. She nodded.

"Tell Lily I'll be in soon," she said softly.

Lily's door was open and she was already in bed, looking thoughtful. She perked up when she saw him.

"Hey, sweetheart, have fun tonight at the Burrow?" he asked her, pulling up a stool to sit on. It had been the usual Sunday night dinner for the whole family.

Lily and Molly, both five, were the youngest of the next generation, and Harry had seen them looking at the photo albums with their grandpa Arthur. Lily, particularly, had been taken with photos of Ginny with her brothers and parents, at a similar age to what Lily was now.

Lily nodded. "Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's your mummy?"

It was the last thing Harry was expecting her to ask and, as he had done to both James and Al when they had asked, he replied, "She died a long time ago."

Lily looked startled. She stared at him then, almost timidly asked. "What about your daddy?"

"He died too."

His daughter's eyes filled with tears. Harry scooted closer as she wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lily, I shouldn't have told you like that."

The boys had been sad but thoughtful,but Lily's tears almost broke his heart. He took her in his arms, happy when she encircled his neck with her arms, but surprised when she patted his back, almost in consolation.

"I'll love you forever, Daddy, me and mummy and Jamie and Albie," she whispered.

"Thank you, sweetheart," he told her, his heart so full of love for his daughter.

"Will you tell me about them, Daddy? Not now, but one day?" she asked, as he settled her back in bed.

He kissed her forehead. " I'd love to, sweetheart."

She wriggled down in her bed and he tucked her in. "Night, Daddy. I love you, and Grandma and Grandpa Potter, even in Heaven."

Harry felt Ginny's arm around his shoulder; he had not heard her enter Lily's room.

"And they love you, sweet Lily," he told her gently.

" Good night, Lily, sweet dreams," said Ginny. She took Harry's arm and they left Lily' room. "She finally asked, yeah?"

Harry nodded. "She wants to know about them," he told her.

Ginny hugged him. "Good. Maybe tomorrow we can get out the Potter photo albums we found in your family vaults," she suggested.

He nodded. "I'd like that."


	46. Chapter 46 Yurik

"Ahem."

It was the fourth time the man from the DMLE had coughed to get his attention, each time getting louder and louder. Harry finally deigned to look over his shoulder.

"Perhaps you need to see someone about that cough," he suggested.

"Harry Potter?" verifed the man. A pointless endeavour, as everyone in the wizarding world, and more specifically, London's wizarding world, knew of Harry Potter. He was the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, Voldemort's Vanquisher and plenty of other ridiculous names the papers could come up with for him.

He much preferred being known as Ginny Potter's husband.

He sighed and turned. "This is cutting into my lunch break, but I'll play along. Yes, I am Harry Potter."

"We need to confiscate your wand, Potter," said the man who was once partnered with Harry; it lasted barely a week. "You're under investigation according to the laws and evidences."

"What evidence?" asked Harry, eyes narrowing.

"Yurik's dead body was found in your office." explained the second Auror. He too had been trialled with Harry, not long after Ron had left the department. He had lasted two days.

"You're a suspect," said the third Auror, a rookie auror, just out of his training. He flushed when Harry looked at him.

"But I was just about to order my lunch," said Harry, turning back to the lunch lady. "Shepherd's Pie today, thanks Rhonda."

"Anything for you, Mr Potter," she replied, shooting the men a haughty look. "The very idea of dear Mr Potter..." she mumbled, as she went to get his order.

Harry quirked an eyebrow as he turned back to the Aurors. "A death eater put my name in the Goblet of Fire when I was just 14...and yet your disrespect and ignorance is more shocking today." He huffed and shook his head, then turned, smiled charmingly as he paid and thanked Rhonda.

He picked up his lunch order and walked towards the lifts. "Let's go," he told the three Aurors brusquely.

"I believe you're innocent, Mr Potter," piped up auror 3, earning a glare from auror 1.

"Shouldn't he be in handcuffs?" auror 2 whispered loudly to auror 1.

Auror 1 nodded and took Harry's lunch from him, handing it to auror 3. He then put Harry's hands behind his back and secured him with magical handcuffs.

"Why am I being handcuffed by someone who's not my wife?" he asked, seemingly unconcerned.

Auror 2 was spluttering and auror 3 blushed at Harry's implication. Auror 1 narrowed his eyes. "Do you think this is a joke, Potter."

Harry walked calmly into the lift, and the three men followed. "I never joke about my wife and handcuffs," he said. He gestured to the buttons on the wall, and auror 3 pressed 2 for the DMLE offices.

The lift stopped and before the men could stop him, Harry walked out straight for the Interrogation room. "Don't forget my lunch," he called back over his shoulder.

Auror 1 was fuming, as the three men followed him. Harry sat on the side the perpetrators usually sat on. He calmly sat there while they arranged their files, then asked them, "Well?"

Auror 1 tilted his hat. "As stated, the body of Yurik has been -"

"Not that," interrupted Harry. "My lunch. Someone will have to feed me, since I'm shackled for no good reason."

Auror 3 hurriedly placed his lunch on the table in front of him. "Shall I feed him?" he asked auror 1.

Auror 1 opened his mouth but before he could say a word, the door opened and Hermione Granger-Weasley walked in, followed by a furious Ginny Potter.

"Gin!" cried Harry. His wife hurried to his side.

"Don't say another word, Harry," cautioned his best friend.

"Ms Granger-Weasley, what are you doing here?" Auror 2 looked quite nervous. Hermione's reputation as a lawyer had grown in the year she had been with the DMLE department. She was known to be quite ruthless and rarely lost a case.

"Defending my husband," replied Ginny, her arms crossed. "What are the charges?"

"How did you find out about this?" demanded auror 1.

"When Harry Potter is seemingly arrested in the Ministry of Magic in the staff canteen, you can bet your arse someone will let either me or Hermione know," said Ginny. She patted Harry's shoulder, her voice softening. "All right, love?"

He shook his head. "I'm hungry". When auror 3 opened his lunch, preparing to feed him, Harry shook his head. "Not you, her."

Ginny nudged the young auror out the way and began to feed her husband.

Auror 1 sighed. "No charges have been laid...as yet. It is simply an interrogation of how Yurik's body was discovered in Auror Potter's office."

"Yurik?" Ginny stopped feeding Harry and merely looked at him. They shared a sad look, for the young man had been taken under Harry's wing after completing his Auror training and eventually became Harry's new Auror partner.

At times hot headed and striving for justice after losing an older sibling and cousins to death eaters, Yurik had been murdered and, to Harry's deep regret, the case remained unsolved.

"His body just turned up...in Auror Potter's office?" clarified Hermione, taking notes herself rather than use a Quick Quill Quotes quill. "Rather convenient."

"Rather," chorused Harry and Ginny together, grinning at each other.

Auror 1 began to open his mouth to speak, when another auror entered and whispered in auror 1's ear. He listened, face flushing at whatever he'd been told, his eyes racing to meet Harry's pointed stare. He coughed before speaking.

"Right, well, Auror Potter, er - new information has come to light. You are free to go," said Auror 1 stiffly. An older Auror, he did not like the new direction Kingsley wanted to take the Aurors in and he was particularly upset that Harry seemed to get away with a lot the other Aurors didn't. Even though it rankled, he felt compelled to add. "We thank you for your co-operation and apologise if our actions seemed harsh."

Neither Harry, Ginny or Hermione acknowdlged the poorly given apology. Instead, Ginny looked down at his hands.

" Ahem." Auror 3 hurried to remove the handcuffs from Harry.

"I'll be taking my husband home for the day, please let head auror Robards know," she said, her voice booking no arguments.

"For what reason?" asked Auror 2.

"Being arrested is very tiring," drawled Ginny. "My husband needs rest. If the head aurors wants to know more, please tell him to fire-call. I'd like to let him know exactly what I think of his department."

"Not arrested, merely helping with our investigation," corrected Auror 1, hurriedly.

"In handcuffs? Inexcusable," snapped Hermione. She turned to her sister-in-law.  
"Don't worry, Ginny, this ineptitude will be going in my weekly report to Kingsley and Gawain."

Ginny nodded, and helped Harry to stand. Harry, who had remained silent as he finished his lunch himself, eyed the three aurors cooly.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow," he told his co-workers. "We'll have a lot to discuss."

Hermione walked out first, after shooting the aurors a frosty look. Ginny followed her, then Harry.

Auror 1 shared a look of relief with auror 2. "That could have gone a lot worse," said auror 2.

"Shut up," snapped auror 1.

They all looked up as the door opened and Ginny Potter stuck her head back in. "Accio handcuffs."

They flew from auror 3's hands to hers.

"Hey, those are my auror regulation handcuffs. What are you going to do with them?" he asked worriedly.

She winked. "Wouldn't you like to know."

And she shut the door.

A/N This was a recent set of artwork by Bianca, and up to Harry's comment about being handcuffed by somebody other than his wife, is all her head canon. I have expanded on that with the rest of the story.


	47. Chapter 47 4 AM

Harry Potter lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling. He wasn't sure what woke him, but now he couldn't get back to sleep. He chanced a glance over at the other side of the bed, where Ginny was sleeping soundly, even snoring a little in a way he found undeniably adorable.

He looked back up at the ceiling; trying to decipher the way he was feeling. It was a kind of nervousness, not unlike the night before his first Quidditch match in his first year at Hogwarts. But more than that, it was excitement.

He looked over at Ginny again. She was still asleep. Was it just him feeling this way? He stilled. It was true, wasn't it? It _had_ happened...right? Was it too good to be true?

He rolled onto his side, an arm wrapping across Ginny's waist. She stirred at the added weight.

"Ginny," he whispered. "Ginny!"

She frowned, eyelides fluttering. "Harry?"

"Oh good, you're awake."

"No, you're dreaming this conversation," she said, closing her eyes.

He loomed over her; she felt his presence and opened her eyes again. "All right?" she asked, in sleepy concern. It wouldn't be the first time he'd needed her during the night after a nightmare.

"Were you serious?"

"Hmm?" It was ridiculously early for riddles.

"Were you serious," he repeated, "about marrying me?"

"What time is is?" she asked sleepily. She looked over his shoulder at the clock on his bedside table.

4am.

She looked back at him; he was looking at her expectantly. She didn't hesitate to tell him.

"Of course I was serious," she told him gently, with a loving smile.

All her life she'd remember the way his whole face lit up at four in the morning, before he buried his face in her neck, holding her tightly.

Like he was never going to let her go.

And that was fine with her.

She hugged him back. "I love you, Harry," she whispered in reassurance. "We're going to be married, you'll be my husband and I'll be your wife. We'll find a house and make a home, you and me. And in time, we'll have kids and we'll be a family."

She waited for Harry's reaction. He still clung to her tightly.

"Harry?"

When there was no reply, she tried to move away slightly to peer at him. He was sound asleep, a look on his face of utter peace and contentment. She smiled and, before long, she was asleep too.

All was well.

A/N Sorry if this appears twice, i dont know why!


	48. Chapter 48 Funeral

It was a sunny morning in London, and four of the five Potters were out in the garden of their home. Harry was cursing the bugs that were attacking his garden, and Ginny and Albus, 7 1/2, were hunting for garden gnomes. James, nearly 9, was trying to persuade both his parents to go for a fly, while he chased the family cat.

They all paused and looked up when the back door opened and the youngest member of their family, Lily Luna, 5, came out. Her eyes were sad and red rimmed, and she carried a small box in her hands as she came towards them.

"How's this spot, Lily?" asked Harry, when she was close enough.

"It's perfect, Daddy, he'll like it here," she said, her voice trembling.

Ginny stepped to her side and lay a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready to begin?" she asked her daughter gently.

Lily sniffed and nodded. Hesitantly, she handed the box over to her father, and watched as he carefully placed it in a hole he'd dug earlier. She then looked up expectantly at him. James and Albus copied her.

Ginny nudged him. "I think she wants you to say something," she whispered.

Harry cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today to farewell Monty, our family pygmy puff. He was a good puffie, especially to Lily, and will be sadly missed."

"Hey, can we get a dog now?" asked James, excitedly.

Ginny shot him a look. "Now is not the time, James." She indicated his upset sister with a nod of her head. "Say something," she hinted.

"Bye Monty, you were a cool puffie, and I laughed so much when you tried to bite Dad's finger. Remember, Al?" James nudged his brother in his side.

Harry scowled at his son, for it had bloody hurt, but a sniff and wayward tear from Lily drew his attention back to his daughter.

"I will love you forever," she announced, " and always remember the time I pet you." Another tear ran down her cheek.

Albus stepped next to her and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze in consolation. "Bye, Monty, we'll miss you. I'm sorry that Uncle Ron sat on you and you died, but I think you will make a really nice ghost puffie."

"He's not going to be a ghost puffie...is he, Daddy?" asked Lily, looking scared.*

"He'll come back and haunt Uncle Ron, I reckon," nodded James, before Harry could reply.

"But he's buried here, so he'll haunt _us_ ," reasoned Albus.

"Boys," sighed Ginny, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, "think about your sister."

Harry crouched down to Lily's level. "Sweetie, your puffie will not haunt you or our house, I promise."

Lily's bottom lip trembled. "What about Uncle Ron?" she asked, wiping errant tears away.

"No, he won't haunt Uncle Ron either," promised Harry.

"Here, Lily, these are Monty's favourite flowers, remember how he liked to eat them," said Ginny, handing her a small posy of the colourful flowers.

Lily nodded. Taking a deep breath she threw the posy, one by one, into the hole. "Goodbye, Monty."

She stepped back and watched Harry use his wand to send all the dirt he'd dug out to create the hole, go back in and cover the box. Ginny transfigured a couple of sticks into a cross, and they placed it at the head of the hole.

Harry and Ginny then stood by Lily's side while the family had a moment's silence for the dearly departed member of the family.

Farewell, Monty Potter.

Headcanon by blvnk posted on twitter (no art), with additonal headcanon * by Fernanda Winck. Thanks, ladies.


	49. Chapter 49 Technology

So, blvnk posted this headcanon on Twitter nearly 2`4 hours ago, and I kind of ran with it. Check out potterbyblvnk if you aren't already following Bianca for her brilliant art and headcanons. She also on Insta and Tumblr!

Hermione Granger happily settled herself down on her comfortable sofa, a pot of tea and a plate of Molly Weasley's delicious biscuits on the coffee table in front of her. She picked up the remote control and turned the television on, flicking it to the correct channel. Crookshanks jumped up and settled on her lap.

"Ron, are you coming? It's on soon, you'll miss it," she cried.

Her favourite muggle band from when she was a child – before Hogwarts – was appearing on the show, and she was keen to see how they'd changed, and hear their new song.

"I'm just making a sandwich, Hermione, I'll be there soon," Ron called out in reply.

Hermione barely heard him, as the popular talk show host introduced the band members as they came out to the stage, and she had to smile at her young crush. He'd aged well in the last decade.

Ron still hadn't appeared during their interview, nor when they had sung their newest hit song.

"Ron," she bemoaned, "You missed it!"

But Ron hadn't heard her. "Be right there," he called cheerfully.

"I should have recorded it," she said to herself. She knew the Weasleys were fascinated by all the technology that was starting to creep into the wizarding world slowly. Percy had been the first to succumb, then George, mostly for the possibility of adapting some WWW merchandise to the muggle world. Bill and Fleur weren't keen, till Ginny showed Fleur how to order clothes from Paris online; now Bill bemoaned her. Charlie had no use, other than as a way of close and immediate contact with the family if they needed him.

The commercials over, the host announced who was to be his guests on his next show, and wound up the show.

"And just before we go, here are the latest You Tube sensations! Simply known as 'Hot Honeymoon Couple', they've garnered close to ten thousand hits for this video alone, although opinion is divided if its because of her or him. Take a look..."

Hermione felt a vague sense of familiarity as the scene began on a beach, and she knew why when she heard someone familiar speaking.

"So it's a lovely hot day here in Sydney, Australia, hope you lot are all enjoying grey, cold London right now."

Ron came and sat next to her, a triple layer sandwich on a plate. "Did I hear Harry?"

Hermione looked in surprise at the size of the sandwich, then her husband – _where did he put it all?_ – then back to the television.

"Hey, it is Harry. How did you get him on the telly, love?" asked Ron, merely curious.

Hermione shook her head. "I – I didn't." They watched as Harry panned his smart phone around the beach, showing clear blue sky and yellow sand.

"I think Ginny has found a new sport to love," said Harry to the camera, standing and walking to the edge of the water. He then zoomed in on her, laying on a board before pushing herself to a standing position, and riding the semi large waves in to shore.

Harry then turned the camera back to himself. He was topless, had his hair up in a bun and had obviously gotten a bit sunburnt, but it had already tanned. He grinned down the camera. "Isn't my wife fucking awesome!'

He kept commentating as he walked back to their pile of towels. " -so we'll be back on Tuesday. I think Ginny's a bit nervous about flying on an aeroplane, but we're both ready to come home and see you all."

"Hey husband!"

Harry turned the camera to show Ginny coming out of the water, holding her surf board under one arm and brushing her hair off her face with the other hand. She walked closer, smirking to see him filming her. "Perve," she said, dropping the board.

Harry turned the camera back to himself. "So this will probably be our last video of our honeymoon in Australia."

Ginny knelt behind him, making faces at the camera over his shoulder. She loped her arms over his shoulders and nipped his earlobe.

"How about you stop fiddling with that phone and come and BBBEEEPP me," she said sultrily.

"Wha'?" asked Ron, swallowing a bite quickly and making himself cough. "What did she say?"

Ginny stood and walked away; Harry winked at the camera. "Sorry, guys, duty calls. See you back in London. This is the Potters, out!"

The screen went blank, but then returned to the television host.

"Who's that? Does he know Harry and Ginny?" asked Ron.

"Ssh," hushed Hermione.

" So there you go. Hot Honeymoon Couple, I guess now we can call them the Potters! Sorry about the beeping but we are a family show. I think you can guess what she really said," winked the host, and the studio audience laughed.

"What did she really say, Hermione?" asked Ron, puzzled.

"And while we wish the Potters a happy honeymoon, looks like that might be it for the famous couple and their videos, if they are heading home to London. Keep a look out for them at the airport next Tuesday, let us know here at the station if you see them. And on that note folks, it's goodbye, till next time!"

The theme song from the show began to play as the credits rolled.

"I don't understand," began Ron.

"Give me your phone," urged Hermione. " Did you send Harry and Ginny's video to YouTube?" she demanded.

"What's YouToob?" asked Ron., watching as she scrolled.

" You sent this to your mum and dad?" asked Hermione.

Ron nodded. "You know Harry and Ginny have been sending them to all of us, but she was worried dad wouldn't know how to open it and watch. So I forward mine on, and tell him what to do."

Hermione paled and scrolled back through his messages for his instructions. Finding nothing untoward, she sat back and thought. "I don't understand how these videos have made it on to YouTube," she mused out loud. She moved Crookshanks so she could grab her new iPad and hit the app for the channel.

" Hot Honeymoon Couple have over one hundred thousand hits," she gasped.

"What's a hit?" asked Ron.

"The number of people who have looked at the video. Oh no, Harry's going to hate this," moaned Hermione.

"Why?"

"Because Harry and Ginny are now famous in the muggle world," cried Hermione.

"For what?" asked Ron.

"For being hot, I guess. Who knows why people want to see videos of another couple's holiday. Ron, we need to find out how all their videos from the last month have ended up on online," said Hermione, standing.

'Are we going to the Burrow? Great, I'm starving," said Ron, already heading for the fireplace.

Molly and Arthur looked up as they both came through the large fireplace. "Oh hello, we were about to head up to bed. It's a bit late for a visit, unless...is everything all right. It's Harry and Ginny, isn't it? Something's happened in that big metal airyplane," said Molly, anxiously.

" No, well, yes," amended Hermione, " it is about Harry and Ginny, but they're fine, they haven't boarded the plane yet, they won't leave till Tuesday."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, Tuesday, they said that in their video, remember, Molly?"

"Yes! So you watched the video well enough? No, er, problems making it start?" asked Hermione.

Arthur shook his head proudly, pulling out his phone. "Hard to believe I can talk to them both right now if I wanted to, even though they are on the other side of the world. Fascinating!" he exclaimed.

"Can you show us how you start watching it please, Dad?" asked Ron.

He nodded and pressed some buttons, and the openeing scene of the beach started to play.

"I don't understand," muttered Hermione.

"I like to watch it on the tube, too," said Arthur.

"YouTube?" asked Ron, looking at Hermione knowingly.

Arthur nodded. "When we get called out to muggle London, sometimes we'll take the tube, just for a bit of fun, you know. Not in any sort of emergency, of course," he hastily added.

"Wait, the tube...you mean the train? Not the online YouTube?" clarified Hermione.

Arthur looked confused. "What's that, dear?" He handed her his phone at her request.

"Oh dear. Mr Weasley, did you press this button here?" asked Hermione.

Arthur nodded. "I was telling Danvers at work about the videos, and this kind young man behind us on the tube was watching, mentioned how hot Ginny was, and I explained to him it was summer there. Anyway, he showed me the button to press, so I could watch it while I ride the train. YouTube for the tube. Genuis, these muggles!"

Hermione smiled faintly, handing the phone back to her soon to be father-in-law. "The thing is, now everyone can see the videos, everyone with a computer or phone similar to these."

"Everyone? All our friends and family?" asked Molly.

Ron shook his head. "Everyone in the whole ruddy world, Mum."

"They've already had over one hundred thousand hits, er, people watching them," explained Hermione.

Molly gasped, one hand over her mouth. Before anyone could say anything else, the Floo flared and Percy stumbled out.

"Why is my sister on my computer...in a bikini?" he demanded.


	50. Chapter 50

Ginny Potter shot a look of concern at her son Albus as she stirred the contents on the stove. He was unusually quiet and staring furtively at her.

"Oatmeal for breakfast, Al? Or would you prefer toast?"

Albus shrugged. "O-meal, please mummy."

Ginny smiled at him, and turned to get the bowls out of the high cupboards. As she did, she glanced at her son, seeing him eyeing her curiously. Well, a certain part of her.

Ginny smoothed a hand over her dress, feeling the baby move under her hand. Her baby bump had really grown in the last month, so much so, she had returned to her midwitch to ensure it definitely wasn't twins.

She came close to Al. "The baby is really kicking this morning. Would you like to feel?"

Al nodded slowly, holding his hand out. Ginny took it and placed it on the side of her ever growing stomach. His eyes widened when he felt the kicks.

"Wow!"

Ginny chuckled as he got off his chair and leaned his face where his hand had been. Seconds later he pulled back in delight, looking up at her.

"It kicked me, Mummy," he said in delight.

Ginny ruffled his hair. "That's your baby brother or sister in there."

Albus looked at her stomach, then at her. "It's a hooman?"

"It would be very weird if not, sweety," quipped Ginny. "Oh, the oatmeal is burning." She turned back to the stove and Albus returned to his seat, thinking hard.

A minute later, Ginny set down a bowl of oatmeal in front of him, and one for herself. It was nice to have a quiet moment together, she thought. James had woken earlier than usual, and Harry had taken him out for a fly to let her have a lie in.

"Mummy?"

"Mmmm?"

"How baby get in there?"

"Oh." Ginny put down her spoon, looking at her second son. "Well, you know mummy and daddy love each other, right?"

Albus nodded.

"Well, daddy and mummy had special cuddles, and daddy used his magic wand and that's how we made a baby."

"Oh." Albus thought about for a minute and nodded. " Okay."

 _Whew,_ thought Ginny.

Several minutes later, Harry and James, both flushed from flying, entered the kitchen.

"Gin, love, you didn't need to make breakfast," protested Harry. He leaned over to peck her on the cheek.

"I know my boys," she said, shooting both Harry and James a fond look. "Merlin knows how long you'd be out there if you didn't feel hungry."

James was already tucking into the bowl of oatmeal Harry had dished up for him. "I love flying, mummy."

"He's getting really good," acknowledged Harry.

Needing some attention from his father, Albus blurted out, "I know how da baby got in there," he announced, pointing to Ginny's stomach.

Harry looked startled, but Ginny winked at him, so he relaxed.

James snorted. "I already know, Al. Uncle Ron told me."

This was news to Harry and Ginny. "Go on, then," encouraged Ginny.

"Mummy and daddy went to the pumpkin shop and got some seeds. Daddy put the seeds in mummy's tummy and the baby grows. That's why my hair is orange, like mummy's," he said proudly.

Well now, that made sense too, except... "But my hair is black," said Albus, " like daddy's," he quickly added.

"Well, duh," said James, rolling his eyes, " daddy went at night time for your seeds."

"Oh...okay," said Albus.

Harry and Ginny tried to hold their laughter as the Potter family finished their breakfast. All was well until -

"But how does the baby come out?" asked Albus, confused.

"I know that too," said James, smugly.

"You do?" asked Harry and Ginny, together.

James nodded. "Uncle Ron told me."

"Tell me!" urged Albus.

James leaned in, as though it were a big secret. "Magic."

Harry and Ginny let out a sigh of relief, but they nodded for both Al and James' sake.

"Special magic," agreed Harry, placing his hand over Ginny's and shooting her a loving look.

"Like special cuddles?" clarified Albus.

Harry nearly choked on his oatmeal.

"Yes, Al, just like special cuddles," said Ginny, grinning at her husband.

"With daddy's magic wand?"

Harry spat out his mouthful of oatmeal.

NineYears Later -

" – and that's how babies are made," said Teddy, looking at James, Freddy and Albus' faces.

"No way," said James, screwing up his nose. At 13, he had no time for girls, except for his cousins and his teammates on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. " I'm never doing _that_ with a girl."

"Who are you gonna do it with, then, a boy?" teased Freddy. "A krup? A pygmy puff?" He waved his wand around, making it shoot sparks of all colours. It was one of the novelty children's items from WWW.

"Ew."

Teddy, Freddy and James looked at Albus whose face was all screwed up.

"What is it, Al?" asked James.

"I'm having a flashback to mum and dad explaining to me how Lily got in her stomach. She told me she and dad had special cuddles and dad used his magic wand. All this time I thought she meant his literal magic wand, not..." He couldn't, wouldn't think of his parents doing _that_

"EW!" chorused James, Teddy and Freddy.

"All right boys?" asked Harry, suddenly appearing in the doorway. They'd snuck upstairs to Teddy's room at the Potters. "Come downstairs, we're about to sing happy birthday to Lily. What are you talking about, anyway?"

The boys exchanged awkward looks. "Nothing, Uncle Harry," said Freddy, turning red and hurrying out.

"Just filling them in on Hogwarts stuff, Harry," assured a confident Teddy, winking at James as he sauntered out of the room.

James and Albus stood, eyeing their father warily. "Well, you coming?" asked Harry.

"I can't even _look_ at you right now, Dad," sniffed James, covering his eyes and hurrying out. "Ouch, damnit," he swore, as he ran into the door jamb.

"What in the world – Albus, care to explain?" asked a bemused Harry, looking at his second son.

Albus shook his head. "Wands," he gasped, scrambling to think of something. "We were talking about wands."

"Wands, hey. I'm particularly fond of mine, we've been through a lot together," mused Harry.

"Yeah, well, I guess mum is fond of it too," snapped Al, and he marched past Harry.

"Well, yeah, I suppose she is," agreed Harry.

"Ugh, Dad!" groaned Albus, " stop, please." He quickly fled the room.

"What did I say?" Harry asked himself, perplexed.

A/N Based on latest artwork from blvnk, and some words are hers. Bless you again, Bianca.


	51. Chapter 51 Private Office

This one is for Breanie, thanks for the reminder early this morning. The art was posted back in March...and I'm picturing the brilliant Octavia Spencer as Harry's personal assistant.

Ginny Potter sighed in relief as she returned home from dropping her two sons to her parent's home, the Burrow, so she could clean up the house following the epic party they'd had the day before to celebrate her birthday. Her parents loved having any of the grandkids over, and with the expansive grounds, Ginny hoped her rambunctious boys would tire themselves out and go to bed early tonight, so she and Harry could have some alone time.

But when she looked around at all the mess, she didn't know where to start, even with magic. So she was pleased for the distraction of her husband's head in the fireplace.

"Hey love," she greeted.

"Hey Gin. Listen, we're heading out for a few days, that tip I've been hoping for has come through. Can you bring my bag over for me, please?" Harry kept a bag packed ready to go on any assignment, packed with the basic toiletries, potions and changes of clothes.

"Sure love, how long do I have?" she asked.

"We leave in an hour," he told her.

"I'll see you soon," she told him, and he nodded and closed the connection.

Pleased of a respite from the housework, Ginny went upstairs to grab Harry's bag. She was about to leave when she saw a particular gift bag on their dressing table. With a grin, Ginny changed her clothes.

Her husband deserved a decent send off, after all.

Harry was doing a last minute check to ensure he had everything he needed, and had left instructions with his personal assistant, Bree, of things he needed done during his absence. He barely glanced up as his door opened, but when he did, he was relieved to see his beautiful wife.

"Potter delivery service," she quipped, holding up his bag.

"Thanks, love," he said. "I really wanted to see you before we go."

"How long till you and the team are leaving?" she asked.

Harry checked his old watch, the same one Molly and Arthur had gifted him for his seventeenth birthday. "In about thirty minutes."

"Good, then we have plenty of time," said Ginny, removing her shirt.

"Plenty of time for – Gin, what are you doing? Merlin, is that the lingerie I gave you for your birthday?" he asked, eyes wide as she continued to disrobe.

"Yes, you like?" She gave him a shimmy.

He reached for her, pulling her into his arms. "I more than like. Fuck, that looks so hot on you."

"Thought I'd give you a good send off, and a reminder of what's waiting for you when you get back," she smirked, her hands unzipping his pants and lowering them. She then started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Are you serious?" he asked, amused.

"You look so sexy when you're getting ready to go out on an assignment. Get on the desk," she ordered.

Harry knew he should be preparing to talk to his team before they set off, but fuck it. Ginny was more important than anything, and besides, there had to be some perks to going out on assignment!

Bree, Harry's personal assistant, looked up as the deputy head auror strode in to Harry's outer office. He barely spared her a glance; Bree wasn't impressed with the man and she considered it her duty to spare her boss from idiots and sycophants.

"Is he in?"

Bree looked up. "Good morning, deputy head auror," she said pointedly. " If you are referring to head auror Potter, yes he is in, but he is unavailable at this time."

The man flushed. "We leave in ten minutes. I need to confer with him." He went to knock on Harry's door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said dryly.

The man ignored her, and knocked hard on Harry's door, looking back at her when there was no immediate reply.

"Did I mention Mrs Potter stopped by to see him off?" asked Bree. She smirked as the man paled. He'd had a run in with Ginny Potter before, and wasn't keen on having a second.

"Tell Potter I'll see him at the portkey station," he said gruffly, hurriedly leaving.

"Have a nice day," she called sarcastically, then muttered under her breath,"jackass."

She glanced at the door, then her watch. It was getting close to the time the aurors needed to leave, but she hated to be the one to cut into the Potters time together.

"He's the damn head of the department, if he's late, it's on him, not me," she muttered to herself. But still, she kept glancing between the door and the watch every minute.

Harry was laying on his desk, his head resting on several books as Ginny straddled him, her hands on his chest.

He started when someone knocked on his door but Ginny never stopped, not for a second.

"Fuck, Ginny, someone's knocking," he hissed, as she clenched her inner walls around him. He gripped her thighs.

"Ignore it," she panted, grazing her nails over his chest. She threw her head back as her orgasm built. "Fuuuuccccckkkkk."

Watching her was the biggest turn on, and Harry came right after her, pulsing into her.

"I fucking love you," he breathed, as they both came down.

She leaned over and kissed him softly. "Then fucking come back to me in one piece."

Four days Later

With their boys both finally asleep, Harry and Ginny retreated to their bedroom for some much needed alone time. They hadn't even bothered to remove all their clothes, and now, sated for the moment, Harry lay on his side, head on hand as he looked down at her. Smiling softly, she gently placed his glasses back on his face.

He stared down at her; how beautiful she was in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

"Any new scars?" she asked softly.

"I was careful," he told her.

She reached up to caress his jaw. "That's even sexier," she assured him.

Six weeks later, they found out they were expecting their third child.


	52. Chapter 52 Late for Work

Harry Potter yawned as he reached up for a mug in the overhead cupboard. It was early, just gone 7.50 and he was on the early shift at work, needing to be there by 8am.

The kettle whistled and he hastily took it off the hob and grabbed his travel mug. Ginny was upstairs, hopefully asleep again after she had roused while he was dressing. She'd sleepily watched him dress, suggesting his navy blue teeshirt "cos it showed off his toned chest."

Harry had cheekily commented on _her_ toned chest and then there'd been sleepy giggling snogging that had gone on for far too long before he'd reluctantly had to pull himself away from her. Her sleepy chuckles followed him down the stairs.

He added coffee and sugar to the travel mug and was about to turn to the refrigerator for milk when he became aware that Ginny had entered the kitchen. He was touched that she had gotten up to see him off; it was her day off, after all.

"You didn't have to get up to see me off," he told her.

"Need tea," she said, only half awake. She crossed over to stand next to him, dressed in the light blue teeshirt he'd discarded at her request.

She stood on tiptoes to reach for a mug, and the teeshirt rode up, and Harry could see she was not wearing a stitch of clothing under that very tee-shirt. Two tight cheeks peeked out, begging to be squeezed.

Harry did not disappoint, making Ginny squeal.

"Harry, your hands are cold!" She laughed as she dodged away from his eager hands, batting him away as he chased her around the kitchen.

"Gotcha!" he grinned in triumph as he picked her up, hands fondling her bare arse as he lay her on the table.

She grinned cheekily at him as he kissed her abdomen, before slowly, slowly pushing her – _his_ – tee-shirt up around her neck, and grasping a nipple between his lips. His jeans were already undone and down around his knees.

She arched up, arms stretched over her head. Eyes closed, mouth open, knees cradling him.

Sod it, he'd be late. Ron would cover for him.

"Harry," she breathed.

Work was already forgotten.


	53. Chapter 53 Competitive

December 2001

They were shopping in muggle London, spending a rare day together in the midst of a busy Quidditch season and some big cases at the DMLE. Rather than be cuddled up in front of the fire like _he_ had wanted, Ginny had determined they finish their Christmas shoppping while they were both free. So here they were, fighting the bustling crowds –Harry having to steer Ginny away from a hefty man who had shouldered her; she was still shooting death glares at him – when they arrived at the store.

"Okay, so we agree we pick up something simple for my dad, yeah?" Ginny checked her list yet again, " then we can go back to the book shop for that new book from that author Hermione likes, er, Rowling, wasn't it? Then some perfume for Fleur and mum!" She lowered her voice. "Thank merlin we can get it all here in this one store."

"If we make good time we could swing by the lingerie shop you liked last time," hinted Harry, " and I could buy _you_ something for Christmas."

Ginny chuckled. "I think that's a present for both of us. All right then, lead the way, the sooner we get out of here, the better."

They hopped on the escalator and went up to the electronics department, and simply walked around, hand in hand. Ginny pointed out several things, asking what they did, and whether they'd be suitable for her dad to pull apart and put back together.

Something colourful caught Harry's eye, and he drifted away from Ginny, who was looking at a Walkman. He wandered over to the gaming section, where two kids were trying out a console, under the careful watch of a salesman.

"This is so lame, my Playstation 2 is better," said one, and the other boy nodded as the game finished. They put the game controllers down and left to check out some new release titles from their preferred format.

The salesman noted Harry's interest. "Want to give it a try?" he asked.

It was just like the one Dudley had had, and that Harry had barely ever used, only daring to sneak in and give it a try when the Durselys were out. He selected the game he remembered playing back then, and soon he was caught up in it.

Ginny caught up with him. "Here you are? Hey, what's that?" She watched the screen as he played. "That's pretty good. Are you thinking of getting that for Dad?"

"For Arthur? No way, I'm getting one for me!" enthused Harry. He finished playing and nodded to the salesman. " We'll take one," he said.

"Oh, _we_ will, will we?" asked Ginny in amusement. " Come on, I found something for dad."

Harry took the box from the salesman and they went to pay. "I can't wait to show you how to play this!" he told her.

/*/*/*/*

A week later found them on the sofa, Ginny between his legs as they each held a controller. They had been playing for ages amd Harry was starting to get hungry.

"Hey, let's -" he began, when

"FUCK!" yelled Ginny.

"I was going to say "eat something", but that's not a bad idea," commented Harry, wincing as Ginny's onscreen characted smashed into his.

"I'm going to beat you at this stupid Muggle game, Potter," she said, eyes only focused on the screen, " but I could eat. Takeaway?" she suggested.

He knew she meant business when she called him 'Potter', and she really was getting quite good at the game; competitive as always. "Sure. Indian, Chinese, fish and chips?"

"DAMNIT! Stupid muggle shite!" She threw down her controller as he won yet again.

"Winner chooses, and I choose Indian," he taunted.

"Fine, fine." She waved him away. "Go pick it up, let me practice by myself. You're distracting me."

He kissed the side of her head before moving away from her and going to get dinner for the two of them.

/*/*/*/*

A week later and she was beating him more times than not, no doubt, due to the extra practice she did after training when he was still at work. And when she crowed about it to her family, of course Ron and Arthur wanted to see it for themselves, and wanted to learn too.

So for the next few weeks, every time Harry returned home from work it was undoubtedly to find a Weasley on his couch, with his wife giving her 'expert' tips. He'd rather play other things with his wife and definitely wanted their home back to themselves, as much as he loved his in-laws.

So, when Christmas was over and amidst the chaos of packing up the tree with three year old Teddy's help, he packed up the console, the controllers and extra games, and banished them to the attic, where they stayed for a very long time.

August 2019

It had been a typical Saturday morning at the Potters. James and Al were supposed to tidy the attic, but James had slept late and Al refused to do the bulk of the work himself. Lily decided she wanted to make cupcakes so she and Harry had been in the kitchen while Ginny tried to write an article.

When James finally wandered downstairs at 11.58 am – _"what? It's still morning"_ – he and Al began arguing, for James had been hoping Al had finished the work, while Harry tried unsuccessfully to settle them down. Ginny, her wand stored in a bun over her head, and unhappy with the way the article was going, stormed out of Harry's home office she used to write, and practically banished them to the Burrow so she had no distractions. Used to the wrath of Ginny when she was stuck on her writing, the four Potters quickly departed.

They found Ron, Rose and Hugo visiting Molly and Arthur so, after lunch, they headed down to the pitch to go for a fly. Dominique and Bill dropped by and they joined in too, and soon they were playing a Quidditch match.

It was close to four in the afternoon when the Potters returned home, tired but happy. A beaming Ginny welcomed them home, and after hearing about the epic match, banished James and Al to the attic, saying they could get a start before dinner. She and Harry began a start on dinner, while Lily iced her cupcakes.

It had only been fifteen minutes when James came to the kitchen, carrying a box. "Is this junk or what?" he asked.

Curious, Harry opened the lid and he and Ginny peered in, instantly recognising the gaming console they had played on so many years ago.

"I remember this," exclaimed Ginny. "I used to kick your dad's arse at this game," she told James.

"Who do you think taught you that game, Gin," reminded Harry, pulling out the controller.

"Oh, is this like one of those play boxes like David has?" asked James, excitedly. David was Dudley's son, and the families usually caught up for Christmas. David was the same age as Al, sandwiched between James and Al's births.

"David has an X-box," corrected Harry, " no, this is older than that."

"But it still plays games, right?" asked James. "Can you teach me, Mum?"

"Ask your dad to connect it up," said Ginny.

James looked at his disgruntled dad, who nodded and left with his eldest son to the lounge.

"You know, I taught your mum how to play," he said again.

"Okay," joked James. He began unpacking cords and the console.

"What, I did? Just wait and see," vowed Harry, who began connecting the two pieces of electronics together.

"HEY AL, COME PLAY THIS OLD GAME OF MUM'S," yelled James.

Al came down the stairs. "Are you ever coming back to help?" he complained, then brightened. "Was that what was in that old box? Is it a Playstation like David's?" he asked hopefully.

"No, but it's still pretty cool," enthused James. Both boys waited as Harry connected it all up, smiling widely when the screen lit up.

"Mum, come show us how this works," yelled James.

Ginny sauntered out, eating one of Lily's cupcakes. That familiar competitive gleam that had scared so many Quidditch opponents on the field, lit up her face. "All right, you are going down, Potter," she taunted to her husband.

"You're a Potter too," he reminded her, taking the controller from Al.

"Watch and learn, boys," instructed Ginny, as James handed her the second controller, then both boys sat eagerly.

Harry called it a practice run when she won the first round, then a fluke when she won the second round. His children's smirks with every excuse made it worse, so he left James to take over from him, and escaped to the kitchen to start dinner.

He could hear their raucous shouts of encouragement and victory as they shared the controllers around, with Ginny giving instructions. He scowled and grunted, causing Lily's new white owl, Ghost – named for some direwolf on a muggle television show that Teddy and Victoire were hooked on but refused to let Lily watch too – to hoot at him.

" _I_ taught Ginny," he told the owl, who merely blinked, then hooted again. "I _did,"_ he insisted.

He prepared dinner alone and the others reluctantly left the sofa to come to the dinner table to eat. His meal was praised but all the talk was about that damn game, and they were quickly back to it after dinner.

He managed to get a couple of games against Lily while the boys did the dishes, but Ginny was coaching her and she beat him. He was almost glad when the boys returned and he watched his family play; the competitive level had definitely been raised.

"You lot are too competitive," he told them.

Four sets of eyes looked at him. "Oh yeah, what about you today, Dad?" smirked James.

"Me, what did I do?" asked Harry.

"You were taunting Uncle Bill in the match," reminded Lily.

" And Uncle Ron," said Al. "Just wait till Uncle Charlie gets home at Christmas."

"Just friendly slagging," he said grumpily. Ginny blew him a kiss that did not soothe his feelings as he sat next to her.

He'd had enough by ten thirty, yawning and stretching. "I'm going to bed," he announced. He ran his hand over Ginny's arm, hoping she'd get the message. "Gin, you coming?"

"You go ahead, I'll be up soon," she said, barely taking her eyes off the screen. "No, Al, not there, it's a trap!"

So Harry trudged up the stairs alone, hoping Ginny wouldn't be long. After all, if the kids were caught up in the silly game, then they wouldn't come knocking on their parents door and interrupt them like they usually did.

He waited and waited, eventually falling asleep.

He woke abruptly, immediately reaching out to feel for Ginny, but her side of the bed was cold. He sat up, checking the time. Worried, he got out of bed, grabbed a tee shirt and left the room. Lily was stirring in her bed but the boy's beds were empty. He headed downstairs.

Ginny and the boys were still on the sofa where he'd left them, eyes glued to the television.

"Look out, James, no, don't go there, ooh, nice one, Al," his wife was saying.

"Ginny...boys," said Harry.

All three looked up briefly, then eyes returned back to the action. "Harry," said Ginny in surprise, " is it breakfast time already? Great, I'm starved!"

"Yeah, me too," agreed both James and Albus.

"What's going on?" said Lily sleepily, dressed in pyjamas and dressing gown. She leaned against Harry, who put his arm around her.

"It's not breakfast time, it's four in the morning," he told them.

"We've been playing all night? Cool!" James high-fived his brother.

"Still hungry," said Ginny, pulling Lily onto her lap and cuddling her. "Harry, couldn't you...?"

James crowed as he won, reminding Harry fiercely of a long ago Ginny. "Winning makes me hungry," he said, patting his stomach. "I have a hankering for some sausages and bacon, Dad."

"Yeah, me too, and eggs, scrambled please Dad," said Al, determined to beat James this time.

"It's four o'clock in the morning," repeated Harry, exasperated.

"I'll help you, Dad, I feel like some toast," offered Lily.

Ginny brushed some hair away from her face and kissed her cheek, then let her go to help Harry.

Of course they insisted on eating in front of the television, all watching as Al finally managed to beat James consecutively.

Harry was now wide awake, but his family began yawning, now sated with food.

"Hey, why don't I give you a hand to clean out the attic, see what else is up there, yeah?" asked Harry, to his sons.

"Sure Dad," nodded James sleepily, while Al snored his reply.

Harry went to the bottom of the stairs. " Come on then, I'll race you," he offered.

"Maybe later, Dad," said James, struggling to get to his feet. "I need to sleep."

Ginny lay the sleeping Al on the sofa in James' now vacated spot and covered him with one of her mother's blankets. She turned to her daughter. " Come on, Lil."

"If Dad is going to the attic, can I sleep with you?" asked Lily.

Ginny shrugged. "I am going to sleep so soundly, Hagrid could sleep beside me and I wouldn't know!"

Lily giggled and walked with her mum to her parent's bedroom. James was already asleep in his own bed, and Al was snoring as loudly as Ginny did when she was very, very tired.

Suddenly the little house was quiet. No television, no gaming music, no talking or taunting, just blissful silence...and a very awake Harry.

"Guess I may as well go tidy the damn attic myself," he muttered, storming up the stairs. He surveyed the mess, wondering where all this junk had come from.

He began moving boxes around, dropping one on his foot and cursing loudly. A photo in a frame of him and Ginny at their engagement had fallen out. He had just bent to pick it up when he felt a presence and, whipping out his wand, he turned to see Ginny's horse patronus in the attic with him.

"Harry, you're being very loud, we're trying to sleep down here," it admonished sleepily before disappearing before his eyes.

He looked at the photo again, and photo Harry shrugged, but photo Ginny winked, then put her finger to her lips and shooshed him.

It was barely six in the morning, and he was pissed. He kicked at another box and it fell down with a clatter. He waited for another patronus but there was nothing. Squatting, he began to pack all the spilled contents away when he noticed there was a lot of photos.

He sat and poured through the box of so many photos, of a pregnant Ginny. The scared but hopeful look on his photo face told him she was expecting James, when everything was all so new. Then he was holding his squalling newborn son and trying unsuccessfully to not cry.

He didn't know how long he sat up there, sorting through boxes of photos, when he heard footsteps and James, Lily, Albus, then Ginny came up to the attic.

"There you are," sighed Ginny, " we couldn't find you."

"You missed lunch," scolded Lily, "but I saved you some cupcakes."

"What are you looking at Dad?" asked Al, coming to his side.

Harry handed him a photo of Teddy holding James, who was holding baby Al, who was howling! They all laughed and dug through the box looking for more.

"Merlin Mum, look how big you are here," exclaimed James, passing a photo to Harry. Ginny leaned against him to look at it too.

"I was so big with Lily, I actually thought I was having twins...and then she turned out to be the smallest of the lot of you," she recalled, her eyes meeting Harry's as they remembered Lily's birth.

"Dad, is this – is this grandma and grandpa Potter?"

They all turned to see Lily holding a photo of James and Lily at their wedding. Harry beckoned Lily over with the album and they chuckled over photos of Sirius and Remus dressed in 70's attire.

"You know what, these shouldn't be up here," decided Ginny. "I think they just got put up here when we moved, and we just left them. They _should_ be downstairs, displayed somewhere. Remembered."

"What about the wall in my office?" asked Harry, almost tearing up at a photo of a beaming four year old Lily showing two bottom teeth missing. She was now only weeks away from starting at Hogwarts; a fact Harry found hard to believe.

"We could do that today," suggested James. He pointed his wand at the stairs that would lead them back downstairs. "Accio."

"James, you're not supposed to do magic away from school," admonished Ginny, not for the first time these holidays.

"They won't know it was me," said a confident James, his arms full of the box that had just zoomed into his arms. "Dad, this can stay up here."

"What is it?" asked Harry, taking the box from his son.

"That game box," replied James.

"You don't want to play it any more?" asked Harry in surprise.

"Yesterday was enough," shrugged Al. "We know it's here if we want to play it again."

" Come on, grab a box and go downstairs _carefully_ ," ordered Ginny, picking up one herself.

"Can I send Ghost with a note to Teddy to come over, I'm sure he'd like to see the photos of his dad?" asked Lily.

"That's a great idea, sweetheart," nodded Harry. His little girl ran excitedly downstairs.

Soon it was just Harry and Ginny up in the attic. "I feel bad that we left these treasures up here for so long," she admitted.

He loped an arm around her neck as he looked at photos of Ron and Hermione's wedding. "We look so young," he said, almost wistfully.

"We were young," she reminded him with a chuckle. "No kids, no idea of what was in front of us."

"Would you change any of it?" he asked.

She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Not one minute," she told him softly.

He held her close, relishing their time alone together. He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Me either," he told her.

"Mum, Dad, Teddy and Vic are here," called Lily from downstairs.

"Come on Dad, hurry up Mum, I found some great photos," called Al, and they heard James hooting with laughter.

Harry and Ginny pulled apart, looking at each other; no words were needed.

"MUM, DAD?"

Ginny smiled. "Down to the mad house?"

He nodded. "After you, love."

The box containing the gaming console was again relegated to the attic for many more years.


	54. Chapter 54 Intimate

There was something to be said about living with your girlfriend, an intimacy Harry had never experienced before and one, which he discovered, he quite enjoyed.

It wasn't just the sex, although that was bloody brilliant! No, it was more the cuddling, the early morning kisses, the snuggling on the sofa sharing a pizza while they watched a movie or listened to the wireless. The shared newspaper, making grocery lists, planning outings with Teddy.

Ginny was a very tactile person, not unlike her mother, and Harry, never one for being touched, found himself almost craving it now. An arm slipped around his waist as they walked, or simply holding hands. A lingering hand on his shoulder as she placed the paper in front of him so he could read it while eating his breakfast. A kiss on the back of his neck as he pored over case notes.

And then there were the little notes she left around for him to find.

It had started not long after she'd moved in. They'd made a conscious effort to be mindful of each other's work and time, so they'd taken to leaving notes, suggesting what time he/she would be home from work and suggestions for dinner, and any other commitments they had. She always left for her work earlier than him, having to floo to Holyhead before six, so she usually dressed in another bedroom so as not to disturb him, letting him sleep till the latest possible moment.

On this particular day, the day those notes had started, he'd risen and gone for a shower, and when he'd gone to shave, he'd seen the note, just on a small yellow post-it, stuck on the mirror –

 _Kissed you goodbye. You wrinkled your brow, so cute. Love you, see you tonight._

He'd chuckled and removed it, wrinkling it up. He was about to bin it but had second thoughts, kept it, smoothing it out. He tossed it in his bedside drawer and forgot about it...till the next one and the one after. And so on, and on...

Another day, another note, this one was in the frying pan.

 _Hey Hot Stuff, enjoy your breakfast, you certainly fed my hunger last night (wink wink)_

He grinned and added it to the ones in his drawer.

She never mentioned writing them, and he never mentioned receiving them. But just when he wondered if she'd stopped, he'd find another one.

Sometimes they were cute, sometimes they were sexy, sometimes they made him laugh and sometimes they just made him feel so damned loved and cared for.

He'd taken to bringing his lunch and eating it with Hermione when she was free, taking it in turns in each other's office. On this particular day, he was sitting opposite her in her office when he'd opened his lunch box and found the note.

 _Have a good day, sweety, I love you._

"What's that?" asked Hermione, seeing him still.

"Nothing," replied Harry, shaking his head. "It's nothing." Too intimate to share with an outsider, no, this was just between him and Ginny.

Hermione smiled; Harry was so obviously happy and it was a look he wore well. "Ginny?" she asked.

He smiled, looking at the note. "Yep," he replied, folding it and putting it in his pocket, to add to the growing pile.

She was in the shower when he arrived home. As he hung his scarf and cloak up, he saw the note -

 _Feeling dirty?_

He hurried upstairs and walked into the bathroom; it was all steamy as he began to get undressed.

"Harry, is that you?" called Ginny, unaware he was in the room.

"Yeah, it's me,' he replied, and she spun around, face lighting up as she saw him.

"Hey," she greeted warmly, turning off the taps.

He held out a towel for her to step into, wrapping it around her as he kissed her softly, gently, intimately.

He gasped and laughed as she rubbed her wet body against his, her arms around his waist, seeking warmth.

"Yes," he told her, in reference to the note, "I'm feeling dirty."

"Then it's a good thing we're close to the shower," she said huskily, dropping the towel and turning around.

Merlin he loved her freckled back.

"Shall I turn it on?" she asked.

"May as well, I am." He stepped closer to pull her against him, her back to his front, letting her feel how aroused he was.

"My, my, Mr Potter, what did you bring me home?" she teased.

"A present," he whispered, his lips teasing her earlobe then trailing down her neck.

"Have I been a good girl, then?" she taunted, gasping as his hands kneaded her breasts.

"No, a naughty girl. My naughty girl," he told her.

Her arm came up and circled his neck; his lips found hers as his hands caressed her body.

"Harry," she panted.

He urged her into the shower when the water was perfect, turning her around and hitching her leg over his. She stumbled slightly, knocking into the tap, but he caught her, steadied her, thrust into her.

Next morning he got up late; it was his day off. Ginny had left early, he had a memory of her kissing him softly and brushing her fingers through his hair as she whispered goodbye.

The note was on the loo.

 _Shower is broken, but totally worth it! Be a love, call a plumbman_

Yes, he kept that note too!

 _A/N Hey, fellow blvnk lovers! Bianca has started her very own discord channel, PotterbyBlvnk. Come and join, discuss her amazing art and join our Hinny chats and general fun times. I'll see you there!_


	55. Chapter 55 Stupid, noble

Sometimes Ginny wanted to pinch herself at how wonderful her life was now. Done with Hogwarts, she had been recruited to the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team and had just finished her first season with them. She had only played a couple of matches, starting as a reserve, but she had done well and Gwenog had mentioned she could be a starting Chaser next season, with a good training preseason under her belt.

And then there was Harry...

She looked over at him; he was sound asleep. Sometimes she just watched him, or watched over him. The nightmares still came at random times, usually triggered by a certain date or a mention of the person or place. She would hold him, stroke his hair, reassure him that he was loved, that he deserved every happiness he could find.

Likewise, she herself found comfort in being held by him. He was home; his arms were where she felt safest; in his eyes she saw a love that she was still in awe of. Her feelings for Harry encompassed her, especially in the dark silence of the night. It may have been over two years since the end of Voldemort's reign of terror, but she was well aware of how different things might have ended.

She sighed; he truly was a wonderfully good man and she felt incredibly lucky that he loved her as much as she loved him. She still had worries over him being an Auror, for she knew he would always put everybody else's safety and well being ahead of his own. _Stupid, noble prat!_

She leaned closer, the bruise on his cheek from an assignment was nearly gone but as she lowered the blanket she could see the bruising on his chest was still there.

As if knowing someone was watching, Harry's eyes snapped open, only to see his girlfriend hovering close. Their eyes met and held for seconds.

"What?" he asked, still half asleep.

She leaned closer. "Stupid, noble...

He palmed the back of her head and brought her lips to his. She lay atop him as they kissed again and again. This led to slow, sensual love making at two in the morning.

She fell asleep cuddled up at his side. He held her close, running his fingers through her long hair, breathing easier because of her comforting presence.

Sometimes he just watched her sleep...


	56. Chapter 56 Scar

His hair is too short; he doesn't remember the last time it was this short. But after Molly Weasley had sat Ron forcibly down and cut his hair, she'd then turned her attention to him.

Ron had fled, grateful for the diversion; Ginny had snickered as her mother began snipping and shaping his overgrown hair. When she was done she had stood in front of him, checking she had the length even on both sides. Then she had patted his cheeks and let him leave.

He escaped to the yard with Ginny, their hands swinging between them. His other hand ran through his shortened locks.

"Where are you today? Hogwarts or the Ministry?" asked Ginny.

He looked down at her but she only looked at where they were heading; the pond.

"Thought I'd take a day off," he replied, surprising even himself. After nearly a year on the run, it seemed wrong, somehow, to not keep moving, because there was always something that needed doing. Whether it be helping repair Hogwarts or staying on top of information coming out of the Ministry on the Death Eater trials, he usually left early and returned late for dinner.

Ginny looked up at him, equally surprised. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He sat under their tree, legs spread for her to sit between, like usual. Instead, she straddled his legs, her gaze fierce as they locked eyes, like she could uncover what he was thinking just by staring into his soul.

"It looks good," she simply said, running her fingers through his hair, just like her mother had just done. He shivered, her touch doing so much to him.

She leaned forward and, to his surprise, she kissed his scar. "You look like a future trainee Auror," she teased, kissing his way down his ear, neck and finally – _finally_ – his lips. "Very respectable." Her hot breath and sexy whisper sent shivers up and down his spine. She tickled his beard. "Except for this."

He grabbed her around her waist and flipped her over, making her squeal with laughter.

"I'll show you respectable," he whispered back, his eyes hungry.

Her eyes blazed in challenge. "Do your best."

And he set about doing exactly that.

HGHGHG

The summer was going by so fast. For Harry, the days bled into the next as he kept busy. Ginny and Hermione were studying together in preparation for their NEWT's year.

Harry tried to mentally prepare for their separation but it was hard. He'd become so accustomed to being with her but there was no way around it. Ginny needed to go back to Hogwarts and he was ready to begin his Auror career.

"Uh-oh, someone's brooding."

He looked up to see her leaning against his door jamb, well, technically, it was Bill's old room. He and Ron were moving into Grimmauld Place once Ginny and Hermione had left for Hogwarts.

She sauntered over to him; he caught her around her waist and pulled her onto his knee. Her arm went around his neck and he leaned his head on her shoulder, inhaling her unique scent as her hair, long and loose, cascaded around her.

"I'm going to miss you," he said softly.

She said nothing at first, then tilted his head up. "Listen to me, Harry. After the last hellish year apart, this coming year will be a breeze. Us being apart...it changes nothing, understand?" Her voice, fierce in tone at first, changed to one of uncertainty. "At least, for me."

"Me too," he hurriedly assured her. "Of course, me too."

She nodded. "Then we do this. You and Ron here, me and Hermione in Scotland. We'll write, you'll come visit, we'll be home for the holidays. And then...and then, Harry, it's you and me. We get to live our lives, on our own terms."

"Together," he said.

She smiled and drew his head back to her shoulder, moving her hair away from her face.

"Together," she agreed.

And she kissed his scar.


	57. Chapter 57 Selfie

"And what does this button do again?"

CLICK

"You just took a photo of the rug," said Harry Potter to his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley. They were cuddled up on their sofa, after having been grocery shopping all morning.

"I can't believe you got me a MyPhone for Christmas!" she exclaimed, peering over his shoulder as he took her phone back to finish the set up.

"Iphone," he corrected, handing it back to her. "Now, I'll ring you and you press that there to answer. Ready?"

Ginny nodded eagerly, staring intensely at the phone. She beamed at him when hers began to ring and pressed the button to answer.

"Hi, who dis?"

"Hi," he replied, before hanging up. "Now you're all set. I've saved mine, Hermione's and Ron's numbers in there for you."

"Are you sure it will work if I call you or Hermione at the ministry?" she asked uncertainly, as she scrolled through some of the preloaded apps on the phone.

"Only if we're in our offices," he reminded her, " and for Ron, he can receive calls in their back room at WWW, or when he's at his and Hermione's home in Ottery St Catchpole."

"And you can call me in the Harpies training rooms," she remembered, "but not when I'm in the air flying."

"No," he agreed, " besides, Gwenog would have my bits if I called you while your team is running drills in the air."

" I'd protect you from her," she laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulders, " I'm rather fond of your bits."

"Thanks, love," he chuckled, kssing her cheek. His phone rang unexpectedly, making them both jump as the Star Wars theme blared out. He hurriedly answered it.

"Hey Ron," he greeted, " yeah, it's pretty amazing that you can talk to me while I'm in London and you're in Devon. Ginny? Yeah, I'm setting her phone up now. She'll give you a call when she's done, all right? Say hi to Hermione for us. What's that? No, it's not sexting, it's texting, and yeah, I guess we can text her. All right, bye!"

He hung up from Ron and grinned at Ginny. "Well, Ron's excited."

Ginny nodded. "I want my phone to play music too," she told him. "How do I do that?"

"Well, there are some preselected tones you can use. Here, in settings..."

Harry showed her and she scrolled down, testing each one., frowning. "They're boring, I want a fun one like yours."

"Well, you can go to this store here and there are literally thousands of songs you can choose."

"How do I get a picture on my phone?" she asked, looking at his. He had a photo of Teddy, grinning at the camera.

Harry chuckled at the memory. "It took me ages to get one decent photo of him, little bugger, he was always on the go. Here, that's your camera app," he pointed out, "and you press that little circle there when you're ready."

"Come sit closer," she urged, shifting closer to him.

He leaned closer and Ginny pressed lightly against his face. "Don't forget to smile," she chided.

Before he had time to prepare, he heard the familiar click of the camera.

"Don't be discouraged if it's not good, we can delete it and take another," he told her.

She held it up to show him. "Looks pretty good to me, even if I only got a half smile out of you. This is my phone photo," she decided.

"Huh." He had to admit, it was a really nice photo of the two of them. "Okay, we'll change that to your wall paper, and then I'll show you how to send it to me."

"I can send you photos?" she asked. "Hmm, the possibilities...remind me again when you have your meetings with Robards?"

He set the photo up on her phone and handed it back. "Merlin, the last thing I need while I'm in a meeting with him is tit pics from you, Gin," he laughed.

"Well, feel free to send me some," she said.

He promptly rolled his jumper up to his chin, grabbed his phone and took a photo of his chest. He let the jumper fall back on his its own, as he sent her the photo.

She opened the message. "Ooh, how much would the Daily Prophet pay for this photo, I wonder," she teased. She pressed some buttons then proudly showed him. "There, your nipples are now your contact photo, and I did it all myself."

"Gin!" He burst out laughing, hugging her to him. "You're nuts...and don't you ever show Ron or George that photo."

"I won't, promise. Your nipples are mine and mine alone," she gloated.

He kissed her cheek again. "Ditto. Now, how about some lunch?"

"You making?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Sandwiches okay?" he asked, and she nodded, holding up two fingers, indicating she wanted two sandwiches.

"And some of that Albert cake we bought," she added and he left to prepare the meal.

He kept an eye on her as she made the sandwiches, she was totally engrossed in the phone.

"Harry, I just sent a message to Hermione and got a reply," she cried excitedly.

"That's a text," explained Harry, loading the plate up and heading back to the lounge.

"What was the other thing you mentioned when you were talking to Ron – sext? What's that?" she asked loudly, unaware he was right behind her.

"Something you and I will never do with Ron," he told her, placing a large plate on the coffee table in front of her.

"Can I send Hermione the photo of us?" she asked, and he nodded as he returned to the kitchen to bring them both some butterbeer.

" Oops, I think I sent her your tit pic," she teased.

"Now _that's_ sexting," he told her, grabbing her phone and checking. He handed it back to her when he realised she was teasing him.

He was about to take a sip of his drink when Ginny's phone began to ring. Abba's _'Ring Ring'_ made Ginny giggle as she answered it.

"Hey Ron, isn't this great! I can't wait to show dad, we have to get him one of these. No, I haven't got that, I'll have to ask Harry. Wait till I show you the great photo I took of Harry...and me," she added hurriedly, at Harry's frown. "Gotta go, having lunch. Sandwiches. Yes, and Albert cake. Okay then, bye."

Harry finished cleaning himself up. "Abba, seriously?"

"What's Abba?" she asked,puzzled. "I have the perfect phone song and the perfect phone photo...and the perfect boyfriend."

"I'm hardly perfect," he mumbled as he took a bite.

"Perfect for me," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "Love you."

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Love you too."

They ate their sandwiches contentedly then Ginny asked -

"Harry, what's Instagram and how do I get it?"


	58. Chapter 58 Silent conversation

It was the last week in August and Harry had grown quieter and quieter over the last week. Oh, he'd plastered on a happy face when Hermione and Ron returned from Australia, her parent's memories intact once more, but Ginny was the only one to notice the relief as well as happiness in his face.

September would bring big changes to their family. She and Hermione were returning to Hogwarts, while Harry and Ron had just moved from the Burrow to Grimmauld Place and they would be starting their Auror training.

Charlie had returned to Romania, Bill and Fleur were at Shell Cottage and even Percy was leaving the Burrow to live in the flat above WWW, while George had moved in with Lee Jordan...temporarily, he said.

Ginny could see that having his family spread wide made Harry a bit nervous, but it eased somewhat with his best friends return. That was till Hermione and Ginny made plans to go to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies. Suddenly their impending departure became real.

They'd had a fun weekend, just the four of them, spending time at Grimmald Place as the girls helped Harry and Ron set up Grimmauld Place for their long term stay. The boys had agreed the kitchen was Kreacher's domain but they had chosen their rooms – by mutual unspoken agreement on separate floors – and let their girlfriends help them decorate. Then Harry and Hermione had introduced the Weasley siblings to a movie night in muggle London followed by pizza.

There was a lot of laughs as they talked about the movie, but Ginny noticed Harry didn't participate in the conversation much, content to listen, his arm stretched behind Ginny in the booth as his fingers played with her hair.

Molly had insisted Ginny return to the Burrow that night, but Hermione had slept over in Ron's room. Ginny hoped that the three being back together might help Harry to open up, but he was the same the next day too.

Monday morning was when Ginny and Hermione had decided to go to Diagon Alley for their school supplies. As Harry was not eager to face the public that were clamouring for him, he went to visit with Teddy while the girl's were shopping with Ron.

On their return to the Burrow, Ginny checked her books and supplies once more then packed them in her trunk, adding a few clothes that she wouldn't need between now and September first.

When she went downstairs she saw Harry had returned. She greeted him with a kiss, and the two cuddled on the lounge as they listened to Hermione as she went into raptures about the spells they would be learning in preparation for their NEWTS, and the things she had seen as she looked through her new books.

Again, Harry smiled and nodded in all the right places, but seemed content to merely sit and observe. He was courteous to Hermione's parents when they joined them for dinner, but was quiet when he and Ginny went for a walk.

Ginny shivered and Harry slid an arm around her waist, drawing her to him, to his warmth. It had come in cool this last week; Autumn was on its way. Ginny wrapped her arm around his waist, her head falling on his chest, as they turned and made their way back to the Burrow.

Hermione's parents had already left, along with Hermione. Ron was having a second dessert as his mother fussed over him, preparing containers of food for him and Harry to take home with them.

Harry sat at the table next to Ron, while Ginny excused herself to go to the loo. She looked in the mirror as she washed her hands. The wind outside had mussed her hair, so she scooped it up into a bun on the top of her head. Strands fell to the side but she left them.

As she left the bathroom, she saw Harry leaning against the door to her bedroom. He had that stoic look on his face as he stared at her, drinking her in.

It was then that Ginny knew he was watching them to remember all the small details he would miss while she and Hermione were away.

She walked slowly to him, and he pushed off the wall to come meet her. She grabbed the draw strings on his hoodie as she looked up at him.

She stepped closer, hugging him tightly. He held her even tighter, realising that she understood, glad that he didn't have to say anything, that, incredibly, Ginny knew exactly what he was feeling.

"It's going to be okay," she said quietly. "We're going to be okay."

"I know," he replied, equally quietly.

"I'll miss you," she assured him, " but it won't be like last year. You'll be busy with Auror training and Teddy, and we both know Hermione has a homework planner she just can't wait to give me."

She was pleased when he chuckled, but when she pulled away and looked at him, she still saw concern in his eyes.

She cupped his jaw with one of her hands, her thumb gently caressing his cheek.

"We can write, we can even fire-call. There'll be Hogsmeade visits and Quidditch matches, and before you know it, I'll be back for Christmas."

"I know," he repeated, and smiled a crooked half smile. "I just...I want you here, with me."

He looked back at the nearby stairs, then once he was assured no-one was coming up, he looked back at her.

"I like going to sleep, knowing you're right next to me, and I like waking up to you by my side," he said, his fingers tangling through her strands of hair.

"One more year," she vowed, then amended, " it's not even a full year, just more ten months, and you'll have me forever."

His eyes burned bright as he pulled her to him again.

It was all he wanted. Him and Ginny, together, forever.

Ten more months.


End file.
